Love Remains

Kingdoms come and go, but they don’t last
Before you know the future is the past
In spite of what’s been lost or what’s been gained
We’re living proof that love remains……

We all live
And we all die
But the end is not goodbye
The sun comes up
And the seasons change
And through it all, love remains
An eternal burning flame
Hope lives on, and love remains

These are the poignant lyrics to a song by Hillary Scott and the Scott family. I was introduced to this song earlier this week as I providentially happened to attend a ‘Celebration of Life’ for an elderly couple that passed away within 10 days of each other. The children were just reeling from their mothers surprise passing when their father passed away from stroke complications. I believe they were expecting that their dad didn’t have much time but were not expecting to say goodbye to mom so soon. A double blow leaving them orphans.

It rather reminded me of Noah and Allie in the movie the Notebook. What a blessing, really, to leave this world together. The children decided to celebrate the lives of their parents in one glorious salute to their lives and legacy. As I listened to tribute after tribute from adult children and grandchildren it became evident that this was a tight knit family living on faith and love. And grandma’s apple pies.

This is where I came in. I did not know this family at all until an acquaintance on Instagram called me and queried as to whether I would like to take up the challenge to attempt to duplicate Claire’s pies for the service. I assume she thought of me due to all the pictures of homemade pie (and other baking) I regularly post. The family were only expecting 500 people so we shouldn’t need more than 60 pies and 30 dozen butter tarts. That’s all. Since I was still unemployed I decided to take a whack at it.

One of the daughters, that learned to make the pies by assisting her mom side by side, gave me her mom’s recipe for pastry and her method for making the pies as well as her mom’s butter tart recipe, with very explicit instructions. I was thrilled when I realized how amazing the pastry tasted (no left over crusts with this recipe) AND what a pleasure it was to rollout. I will use this recipe forevermore. Pie is the only dessert that I have a hard time saying no to if it’s homemade.

I proceeded to do a few testers for the family to try in order to get the nod of approval. They wanted this baking to be exactly like their mom’s. She had made pies for everyone who visited the farm and the neighbors and friends in the neighbouring area making Claire’s pies and tarts quite an item and coveted delicacy. The family passed me so I set out.

Farmers market for three 40lb. cases of MacIntosh apples and to Costco and Superstore for several 20lb. bags of sugar and flour. Tenderflake, butter, cinnamon, raisins and eggs. Tin foil plates for pies, baggies for storage, containers for tarts and I was ready to hunker down and bake my brains out. All told, I believe I spent 8 purposeful, inspired and joyful days a home baking, listening to music, praying, planning. My own pie making mom joined me for two days and helped lighten the load. Time well spent with my mom. She even came with me when I went to the venue a day before service to bake the bulk of the pies. Good times, great memories.

Where was I going to freeze all these pies and tarts while I awaited the appointed date? As luck would have it one of my dear and generous friends volunteered her almost empty freezer so as the pies were ready, I hauled them over to her place until the day before the service. I knew I could trust her with them AKA they’d still all be there when I came for them.

I pretended this was my career and this is what I did all day everyday. I could definitely get into this. I thoroughly enjoyed working in my kitchen, except for the night my gas oven went on the fritz. Can you believe it? The most important baking experience of my life and my oven quits. Mike, being the handy Saskatchewan farm boy that he is, had it going the very next day. I guess it’s all part of the baking industry that I was getting a first hand glimpse of, by the way.

All reports from the day of the celebration were positive. Grandsons even said they thought they were eating grandmas pies. Mission accomplished. It was such a honour to be part of it all ‘for such a time as this’.  The family were very grateful for what I had done for them but truly, it was I who was blessed to be able to serve them using my God given skills and talents.  Maybe some day this will be part of my legacy too.

As I have attended many of these services in recent years (due to the fact that that is the stage of life myself and my peers find ourselves in) it occurs to me that if I feel regret at not having had a relationship with the deceased then they have been honoured well. It also occurs to me how valuable every human being is. Each person is somebody’s everything. And what a rich heritage this couple has left behind. One of the most beautiful services I’ve witnessed. Such a honour to have been part of paying homage to such incredible people that obviously made a difference on this earth and left a gaping hole for those that crossed their paths. Love remains!