Celebrate With Ice Cream

My Dad loved ice cream. Whenever we were out for a drive during the summer, our special treat was a stop at an ice cream shop. I blame my Dad for my addiction to that luscious, creamy, cold, melt-in-your-mouth recipe, that is brain-freezing, tasty, bowl-scraping, cone-filling, melty, icy product of milk/cream, eggs and sugar.

Our family would often gather at Mom and Dad's farm on July 4 and make homemade ice cream. Outside the back porch, on the sidewalk, Dad would set up the crank freezer along with a stool. The first question was always whether we had enough ice and salt. Then who was going to crank it? Then "Mom, is it ready?" Mom would respond with a canister filled with the creamy mixture she had prepared. 

The guys would fill the bucket, alternating ice and salt around the metal canister. Then they would take turns cranking, adding ice and salt as needed, until it became too hard to turn. That was a sign the ice cream was probably frozen. Once, my husband, was put in charge of cranking. He cranked and cranked and it became hard to turn. He told my Dad that it was ready, to which my Dad said, "No, it can't be ready yet. Keep churning." So he did. Until the crank broke off. He asked my Dad if it was ready now? Soon after that, Mom and Dad got an electric freezer to replace the broken one. 

The real exciting time came when the canister was brought into the kitchen and the lid was removed. Out came the wood and metal dasher along with some of the soft frozen ice cream. There would be a cake pan to put the paddle in. Dad and some lucky youngster were given spoons and they had the joy of getting the first taste. Meanwhile Mom would wrap the canister in ice until it was time to serve. 

"Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength," (Nehemiah 8:10 NIV). 

Gracious God, thank You for allowing us the pleasure of food, especially ice cream! We praise You for knowing us inside and out. Thank You for reminding us that we need to share what we have with our friends and the needy. Lord, bless our food to our nourishment and pleasure. We praise You with all our hearts. Amen.