The Way to Bob’s Heart”
(As published in Guideposts Magazine February 2005. The full-blown story appears in Starting from Scratch When You’re Single Again on page 141 and is called “Those Cherry Macaroons.” For more about the book, go to the blog at www.StartingFromScratchBooks.com )
I’d saved for months for this retreat, putting away a little here and there from the four jobs I’d been juggling since my divorce. It turned out to be the perfect balm for my beleaguered spirit, if not quite my aching heart. The last day, I went up to the pastor who led our sessions. “Thank you,” I said. “I needed to be reminded that God loves me.”
“Tell me what brought you here,” he said. His tone was so kind I confided everything. How my 30-year marriage had come to a bitter end. How I was worn out from doing part-time work on top of my regular job just to keep my house. How I missed my grown daughters, who lived far away. How two years after my divorce, I was still struggling to adjust to life on my own. Still hurting.
“Imagine your life is a big book,” the pastor said. “You’ve just finished a long, complicated chapter. Now turn the page. Who do you see?”
What was he getting at? My confusion must have been obvious because he continued, “Perhaps God doesn’t mean for you to be alone. Could there be a man waiting for you to start a new chapter?”
That was the last thing on my mind! A man. Wouldn’t that just mean more heartache? I’d had plenty of that. Still . . .
“Well, there’s this one man at church,” I said slowly. “Bob. He’s in his fifties, a bachelor. He’s the president of the congregation. I’m the organist. We’ve talked about church business, never anything personal.” My face reddening, I added in a rush, “He’s probably not even interested in me.”
“It wouldn’t hurt to do something thoughtful for Bob,” the pastor said. “Why not bake him some cookies? Put them on a nice plate— something that has to be returned. Leave the next move, if there is one, up to him.”
I went back to my too-quiet house and my four jobs, but I couldn’t get the pastor’s idea out of my mind. Saturday night I gave up trying to resist. Fine, I’ll bake, but I’m not expecting anything. A plate of cookies . . . what could come of it?
I flipped through my recipes. Sugar cookies? Too simple. Chocolate chip? Too predictable. Cherry macaroons . . . that was it! They were my daughters’ favorites, yet hearty enough for a man.
Maybe it was the familiar rhythm of chopping nuts and cherries. Or the sweet aroma that suffused the empty house. I caught myself humming as I put the cookies on a dish and covered them with plastic wrap. If nothing else, baking had made me content, and I was grateful to God for that.
The feeling didn’t last. I took the cookies to church the next morning, and during the service I fretted. What if I came across like a silly teenager?
Coffee hour. Come on, Sharon, just do it. I picked up the plate. Mustering my courage, I walked up to Bob and blurted out the phrase I had memorized, “I baked some cookies and thought you might like some.” I thrust the plate at him and fled, my cheeks flaming.
All week I agonized over how I could have embarrassed myself—and poor Bob—like that. No wonder he hadn’t called. I kept reminding myself that all I wanted was God’s will for my life.
I’d settled in for another quiet Friday night at home when the phone rang. “Hi, Sharon, it’s Bob. Thank you for the cookies. They were delicious.”
“I’m glad you liked them.”
“I’ll return your plate Sunday at church,” he said, then added shyly, “Afterwards, if you’re free, may I take you to lunch?”
Many lunches and 11 months later, I was thrilled to say yes to another invitation from Bob: to be his wife. A plate of cookies . . . what could come of it, indeed!
Cherry Macaroon Cookies
Flaky coconut, sweet cherries and finely chopped nuts make these cookies a delight to share over coffee or tea, fun to make and munch anytime. Bottom line — these are the cookies that snagged a husband!
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
2½ cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup chopped maraschino cherries
2 cups sweetend shredded or flaked coconut
1 cup nuts, coarsely chopped (use almonds, walnuts, pecans, or macadamia nuts)
Cream together butter and shortening. Gradually add sugar, eggs, and almond extract. Cream well. Blend in flour, baking powder, and salt. Add coconut, nuts, and last, the maraschino cherries.
Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets. Bake 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees until lightly browned. Makes 5 to 6 dozen.
WHITE FROSTING (optional)
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Transfer cooled cookies to waxed paper or a baking rack. Combine white chocolate chips and oil, and place in microwave on high, stirring every 15 seconds until melted. Drizzle frosting over the cookies using a back-and-forth motion. Let frosting harden before storing in a covered container.
