God gave Him.
Mary wrapped Him.
Will you receive Him?
Merry Christmas, Sisters!
Love, Bishop and Jessica Higginbotham

Moments that Matter Most

Here is the video that Jillian shared in her lesson today.

What Do LDS Women Get?

Reflection By, Cindy Bingham

The kids are asleep, the TV is off, 

Peace settles in for the night.

I have this time to reflect on my day

On the things that went wrong and right.

This moment I'm given to look back and see

All the ways in which I've been blessed.

There are things I could have done differently,

But at days end, I did my best.

And the joy I feel as I fall to my knees

Sometimes makes it hard to express,

As I thank the provider of all that I have,

And all with which I've been blessed.

I thank Heavenly Father for each sweet kiss,

As my children set out for their day,

For a sturdy roof, and a working car,

And even bills to pay.

I thank the Father for a loving home,

And enough for my kids to eat,

For the priesthood's power and influence,   

And good friends with which to meet.

I'm so very grateful for each breath of life,

That's given my family,

For challenges faced, and hardships borne,

And the beauty around that I see.

I thank the Good Lord for this moment,

And those that extend beyond my view,

And pray for the strength to find happiness,

And fulfillment in all that I do.

Dear Father, thank you for tomorrow,

For the hope in each new day,

And for the joys of being thy daughter,

For all these things I pray.

            Cindy A. Bingham

1000 Things to be Thankful For

    We would like you to submit on our RS Blog one or more things that you are thankful for. You can put your name if you like, or not, it is optional.  The only stipulation is that we cannot list anything twice.  So get creative, and be the first to list something you are thankful for before the task becomes more challenging!  Our challenge is to come up with our list of 1,000 things we are thankful for in 30 days, that would be October 31st.

General Relief Society Meeting, by Janae Nelson

This past Saturday I had the privilege of attending the General Relief Society Meeting in Salt Lake.  What a blessing it was to go into that beautiful conference center and here the words from our General Relief Society Presidency and beloved Prophet.  I could feel the love of my Heavenly Father pour through them as they spoke to us about covenants, families, and the blessings of Relief Society.
One part that particularly stuck out to me was in President Monsons message about a sister prompted to take some homemade bread to another sister in need.  She tried to ignore the prompting and even rationalize that it would be inconvenient but eventually gave in.  It turned out to be an enormous blessing and act of love that the sister receiving the bread couldn't of been more grateful for.  I thought to myself how many times have I rationalized myself out of a prompting?  Sadly far to often I do not follow through for various reasons and have later felt the sting of a missed opportunity.  That failure to me is a win for Satan and it breaks my heart.  I have promised myself to be more diligent when receiving a spiritual prompting recognizing it may not seem rational to me, but Heavenly Father is very aware of why that prompting is necessary and that I need to act!

I encourage you to watch this wonderful broadcast and feel of the love your savior and Heavenly Father has for you!

http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/archive/general-relief-society-meeting/2013/09?cid=HPTH091213087&lang=eng

New Visiting Teaching Topics Begin in October

Beginning in October 2013 the Relief Society Visiting Teaching Messages will focus on the divine mission of Jesus Christ and His many roles and attributes.

As we read in Daughters in My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society, “When Jesus Christ was on the earth, He showed us the way we should live.”¹ By studying and focusing on the roles and attributes of the Savior, the sisters in the Church will learn to be like Him² and will be able to discuss with the sisters they serve how the teachings and example of the Savior can influence their lives.

The Lord showed us how to minister—how to watch over, strengthen, and teach one another. His was a ministry to individuals, one by one.³ Visiting teaching is our opportunity to follow His example.

President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, testified that “visiting teaching is part of the Lord’s plan to provide help for people all over the world. … ‘He set a pattern in place.’”⁴ As visiting teachers, we also remember President Thomas S. Monson’s counsel: “We are the Lord’s hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us.”⁵

The Business 9 Women Kept A Secret For Three Decades, by Lori Weiss

The Business 9 Women Kept A Secret For Three Decades, by Lori Weiss

The Business 9 Women Kept A Secret For Three Decades

--by Lori Weiss, syndicated from huffingtonpost.com, Jun 29, 2012

Somewhere in West Tennessee, not far from Graceland, nine women -- or "The 9 Nanas," as they prefer to be called -- gather in the darkness of night. At 4am they begin their daily routine -- a ritual that no one, not even their husbands, knew about for 30 years. They have one mission and one mission only: to create happiness. And it all begins with baked goods.

“One of us starts sifting the flour and another washing the eggs,” explained Nana Mary Ellen, the appointed spokesperson for their secret society. “And someone else makes sure the pans are all ready. We switch off, depending on what we feel like doing that day.

“But you make sure to say Nana Pearl is in charge, because she’s the oldest!” she added with a wink and a smile.

Over the next three hours, The 9 Nanas (who all consider themselves sisters, despite what some of their birth certificates say) will whip up hundreds of pound cakes, as part of a grand scheme to help those in need. And then, before anyone gets as much as a glimpse of them, they’ll disappear back into their daily lives. The only hint that may remain is the heavenly scent of vanilla, lemon and lime, lingering in the air.

Even the UPS driver, who picks up hundreds of packages at a time, has no clue what these women, who range in age from 54 to 72, are doing. He’s just happy to get a hug and a bag filled with special treats. What he doesn’t know is that he’s part of their master plan. A plan that began 35 years ago -- when the “sisters” got together for their weekly card game -- something their husbands referred to as “Broads and Bridge.”

“Pearl says it was all her idea,” Mary Ellen teased, “but as I remember it, we were sitting around reminiscing about MaMaw and PaPaw and all the different ways they would lend a hand in the community.” MaMaw and PaPaw are the grandparents who raised four of the women, Mary Ellen included, when their mother passed away; and they took in Pearl as their own, when her parents needed some help.

“MaMaw Ruth would read in the paper that someone had died,” Mary Ellen remembered, “and she’d send off one of her special pound cakes. She didn’t have to know the family. She just wanted to put a little smile on their faces. And we started thinking about what we could do to make a difference like that. What if we had a million dollars? How would we spend it?

So the ladies began brainstorming.

“One of the sisters suggested that we should all start doing our own laundry and put the money we saved to good use. I admit, I protested at first. There’s just something about laundering that I don’t like. But I was outnumbered! So among the nine of us, we’d put aside about $400 a month and our husbands never noticed a thing. Their shirts looked just fine.”

And then the women started listening. They’d eavesdrop -- all with good intentions, of course -- at the local beauty shop or when they were picking up groceries. And when they heard about a widow or a single mom who needed a little help, they’d step in and anonymously pay a utility bill or buy some new clothes for the children.

“We wanted to help as much as we could,” Mary Ellen said, “without taking away from our own families, so we became coupon clippers. And we’d use green stamps. Remember those? We’d use green stamps and we’d make sure to go to Goldsmith’s department store on Wednesdays. Every week they’d have a big sale and you could spend $100 and walk away with $700 worth of merchandise.”

The Nanas would find out where the person lived and send a package with a note that simply said, “Somebody loves you” -- and they’d be sure to include one of MaMaw Ruth’s special pound cakes.

The more people they helped, the bolder they became.

“We gave new meaning to the term drive-by,” Mary Ellen said with delight. “We’d drive through low-income neighborhoods and look for homes that had fans in the window. That told us that the people who lived there didn’t have air-conditioning. Or we’d see that there were no lights on at night, which meant there was a good chance their utilities had been turned off. Then we’d return before the sun came up, like cat burglars, and drop off a little care package.”

For three decades, the ladies’ good deeds went undetected -- that is, until five years ago, when Mary Ellen’s husband, whom she lovingly calls “Southern Charmer,” started noticing extra mileage on the car and large amounts of cash being withdrawn from their savings account.

“He brought out bank statements and they were highlighted!” Mary Ellen said, recalling the horror she felt. “I tried to explain that I had bought some things, but he had this look on his face that I’d never seen before -- and I realized what he must have been thinking. I called the sisters and said, 'You all need to get over here right away.'”

So 30 years into their secret mission, the 9 Nanas and their husbands gathered in Mary Ellen’s living room and the sisters came clean. They told the husbands about the laundry and the eavesdropping -- even the drive-bys. And that’s where their story gets even better -- because the husbands offered to help.

“They were amazed that we were doing this and even more amazed that they never knew. We can keep a good secret! All but three of them are retired now, so sometimes they come with us on our drive-bys. In our area, all you need is an address to pay someone’s utility bill, so we keep the men busy jotting down numbers.”

It wasn’t long before the couples decided it was also time to tell their grown children. And that’s when happiness began to happen in an even bigger way. The children encouraged their mothers to start selling MaMaw Ruth’s pound cakes online, so they could raise money to help even more people. And it wasn’t long before they were receiving more than 100 orders in a day.

“The first time we saw those orders roll in, we were jumping up and down,” Mary Ellen said with a laugh. “We were so excited that we did a ring-around-the-rosie! Then we called all the children and said, 'What do we do next?'"

That’s when the 9 Nanas moved their covert baking operation out of their homes and into the commercial kitchen of a restaurant owned by one of their sons, where they can sneak in before sunrise and sneak out before the staff comes in. They even hired a “happiness coordinator” (whose code name is “Sunny,” of course). Her identity needs to be a secret, too, so she can help out with the eavesdropping.

“We swore her to secrecy -- her parents think she works in marketing. And, really, if you think about it, she is doing public relations and spends a lot of time looking for people to help at the supermarket!”

These days, The 9 Nanas are able to take on even bigger projects, given their online success. Recently they donated more than $5,000 of pillows and linens and personal care products to a shelter for survivors of domestic violence. And this August, they’ll celebrate their second consecutive “Happiness Happens Month” by sending tokens of their appreciation to one person in every state who has made a difference in their own community.

And that million dollars they once wished for? They’re almost there. In the last 35 years, the 9 Nanas have contributed nearly $900,000 of happiness to their local community.

But that doesn’t mean they’re too busy to continue doing the little things that make life a bit happier. Sometimes they just pull out the phone book and send off pound cakes to complete strangers. And if the Nanas spot someone at the grocery store who appears to need a little help, it’s not unusual for them to start filling a stranger’s cart.

“Not everyone is as lucky as we were to have MaMaw and PaPaw to take care of them, to fix all those things that are wrong.

“So this is our way of giving back,” Mary Ellen said. “We want people to know that someone out there cares enough to do something. We want to make sure that happiness happens.

Enjoy this clip from Sister Marchant's lesson the past Sunday

http://www.lds.org/training/wwlt/2013/the-power-of-the-priesthood-in-the-family?lang=eng

Enduring Love

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2013-06-010-enduring-love?lang=eng

Grow the Good

Dear Sisters,

In preparation for my lesson this coming Sunday, I have been thinking about some of my favorite verses in scripture. I’d like to share them with you. This is from Jacob, Chapter 5, in which he shares the allegory of the tame and wild olive trees. In these particular verses, the Lord of the vineyard is teaching his servant how to prune his olive trees for the last time:  

64 Wherefore, dig about [the trees of my vineyard], and prune them, and dung them once more, for the last time, for the end draweth nigh. And if it be so that these last grafts shall grow, and bring forth the natural fruit, then shall ye prepare the way for them, that they may grow.

 65 And as they begin to grow ye shall clear away the branches which bring forth bitter fruit, according to the strength of the good and the size thereof; and ye shall not clear away the bad thereof all at once, lest the roots thereof should be too strong for the graft, and the graft thereof shall perish, and I lose the trees of my vineyard.

 66 For it grieveth me that I should lose the trees of my vineyard; wherefore ye shall clear away the bad according as the good shall grow, that the root and the top may be equal in strength, until the good shall overcome the bad, and the bad be hewn down and cast into the fire, that they cumber not the ground of my vineyard; and thus will I sweep away the bad out of my vineyard. 

Usually when I read this chapter, I am the tree that the Lord is working on and teaching His servant to prune. When I read it this way, I love the many times that He says, “It grieveth me that I should lose this tree.” I feel that I am precious to Him. In these particular verses, I love how gentle He is in His pruning. He doesn’t come at me with a chainsaw to sever all my weaknesses and bad habits at once. Instead, He focuses on the good that is within me and encourages me to grow the good so that it can eventually overcome the bad. 

Lately, when I think of these verses, the tree is my family. It is my family that is precious to the Lord and that He doesn’t want to lose. I am learning (this is new to me) that with the Lord’s help, I can work on family problems by setting aside my own chainsaw and focusing on growing something good instead of cutting out something bad.

For example, we have four young daughters. The drama and volume can escalate quickly when one or more of them gets hurt, physically or emotionally. Exasperated is the best word I can used to describe how I feel in these moments that happen frequently during any given day. So often I have heard myself say things like, “If you don’t want run into the doorknob, then quit walking backwards (or with a skirt on your head, or with your eyes closed, or with your hair in your face)!”

Recently, Tim and I have decided to add something good in these moments of frustration. Instead of telling them they did something wrong and that it’s their fault they got hurt, we affirm what they are feeling: “I am so sorry you ran into that doorknob. That hurts!” When we remember to react this way, it instantly disperses the drama (and lowers the volume) because they feel validated. They calm down much faster, and Tim and I are able to comfort them and teach them. 

This principle works with big family challenges as well as the small ones. Click here for an Ensign article written by a woman who used this principle to save her marriage. Please read her story and study these scriptures over the next few days. Think of ways you may be able to grow the good in your family. Do some experimenting. On Sunday, I’d like to discuss this woman’s experience and your experiences so that we may all learn together how to grow the good.

—Erica Royer

Raspberry Pretzel Delight

Raspberry Pretzel Delight

Crust:
2 cups crushed pretzel sticks

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup melted butter

Mix ingredients together and then press into an ungreased 9x13 pan. Cook at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Then let cool completely.

Filling:

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup cold water

1 (3.4 oz.) box vanilla pudding

4 oz. cool whip

Combine sweetened condensed milk, water, and pudding. Once completely mixed, fold in cool whip. Cover and put in fridge for 10 minutes. Then pour over cooled crust and spread out mixture. Cover and put in fridge for at least 4 hours (I do 6 so the crust isn't so crunchy). When ready to serve pour chilled (put the can in the fridge before hand) raspberry pie filling (or other filling flavor of choice) on top.

Reverence, From Sister Marliyn Parker

 Since the early days of the Restoration, Latter-day Saints have met together to receive gospel instruction.

While reviewing and editing the manuscript of the translation of the Bible on Dec. 6, 832, the Prophet Joseph Smith received a revelation instructing “the first laborers in the last kingdom” so “assemble yourselves together and organize yourselves and prepare yourselves and sanctify yourselves” (D & C 88:74).

Further, the Lord commanded the early Saints to “teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom.”  He said. “Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principles, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand” (D & C 88:77-78).

While there are many opportunities in the modern Church for gospel teaching and learning, one of the most important is sacrament meeting.  The places where we receive gospel instruction should be places of prayer, fasting, faith, order, righteousness and reverence.

President Boyd K. Packer said that when Latter-day Saints meet together to learn the doctrines of the gospel, it should be in a spirit of reverence.

“Irreverence suits the purposes of the adversary by obstructing the delicate channels of revelation in both mind and spirit,” President Packer said during his October 1991 general conference address.  “Our sacrament and other meetings need renewed attention to assure that they are truly worship services in which members may be spiritually nourished and have their testimonies replenished and in which investigators may feel the inspiration essential to spiritual conversion…

“Irreverent conduct in our chapels is worthy of a reminder, if not reproof.  Leaders should teach that reverence invites revelation.”

Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve said in his October 2009 general conference address that the ordinance of the sacrament makes the sacrament meeting the most sacred and important meeting in the Church.  He noted that it is the only Sabbath meeting the entire family can attend together.

“During sacrament meeting—and especially

 During the sacrament service—we should concentrate on worship and refrain from all other activities, expecially from behavior that could interfere with the worship of others.  …Sacrament meeting is not a time for reading books or magazines.  Young people, it is not a time for whispered conversations on cell phones or for texting persons at other locations.  When we partake of the sacrament, we make a sacred covenant that we will always remember the Savior.  How sad to see persons obviously violating that covenant in the very meeting where they are making it.”

As a missionary in London, President Gordon B. Hinckley attended meetings in the Battersea town hall, which the Church rented.  “The floors were hard, and we sat on chairs.  Every time a chair moved there was a noise.  But this was not the worst aspect of the situation.  Far worse was the noisy socializing of the members of the branch,” he recalled during an April 1987 general conference address.

On one occasion the missionaries invited a family whom they had met while tracting.  With great expectation, they stood by the door to welcome them.  “There was the usual convivial spirit in the hall, with the members talking noisily one with another.  When this family came into the room, they quietly moved toward some chairs, knelt for a moment, and closed their eyes in a word of prayer.  They then sat in an attitude of reverence amidst all the commotion.

“Frankly, I was embarrassed.  They had come to what they regarded as a worship service, and they behaved themselves accordingly.”

“At the close of the meeting they left quietly, and when we next met they spoke of their disappointment in what they had experienced.  I have never forgotten that.”

President Hinckley asked, “Why do we go to sacrament meeting?

“We go, of course, to renew our covenants in partaking of the sacrament.  This is the most important element of these meetings.  As we also go to be instructed, to meditate upon the things of God, and to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth.  We go because of the commandment of the Lord…

“We need, every one of us needs, to pause from the hectic pace of our lives and to reflect upon things sacred and divine.”

Meetinghouses are dedicated to the Lord.  While in them, we partake of the sacrament and pray for the Lord’s Spirit to be with us.  We listen to prelude music and speakers, sing the hymns and say “amen” at the close of prayers.  Great blessings accompany reverence.

During the prayer offered at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, found in D & C 109:21, Joseph prayed to the Father that when any of the Saints transgress, “they may speedily repent and return unto three, and find favor in thy sight, and be restored to the blessings which thou hast ordained to be poured out upon those who shall reverence thee in thy house.”

President Joseph Fielding Smith called reverence a sacred principle.  “It is a principle of the gospel.  We show reverence to our Father in Heaven, to the Lord Jesus Christ.  We would not be boisterous in his presence.  If he happened to be in this meeting, I am sure we would all go in quietly and take our places.  Why cannot we think, when we enter the place of worship,  that he is there?” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Seek Ye Earnestly, [SLC” Desert Book Co., 1970] p. 117).

Church News Week of June 23, 2013

Spiritual Gift Cards

GIFT CARDS:  Think of it this way:  the Savior has paid for a monumental, never ending number of spiritual gift cards—so to speak—just for you!

            Metaphorically, these spiritual gift cards were given to you when you received the gift of the Holy Ghost as you were confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

            Some of our most important prayers are when we pray to know what to pray about!  So, pray and listen.  Read D & C 46:7-12, 13-26, 33

-  If you’re too negative with your children, your friends, or your spouse, ask for the gift of hope, of optimism.

-  If you lose your temper and are cruel in what you say to those you love, ask for the gift of mildness or understanding.

-  If you have started the same diet every Monday for the past three years and are still overweight, ask for the gift of self-discipline.  Or the gift to be healed.  Ask for the gift of peace so that anxiety, fear, frustration, and fatigue will no longer drive you to the fridge or to the fast food pick-up window.

-  If you’ve never been able to keep your home tidy and clean—and you know that the Holy Ghost enjoys a clean environment—ask for the gift of self-discipline.  Perhaps the gift of better time management or the gift of discernment would help so that you are spending your time on things that really matter.

-  If you are easily discouraged, pray for the spiritual gift of persistence, of endurance.

-  If you find that you are increasingly anxious about many things, ask for the gift of peace.  His peace surpasseth all understanding and cuts through the fear of every situation.

-  If you are shy and have never been very good at reaching out to others, pray for the gift of listening, even discernment, so you can really hear and know what is in someone’s heart.

-  If you are easily hurt by others, pray for the gift of faith.  Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is a spiritual gift that will be a shield to you against the unkind words and actions of others.

-  If life has always been pretty easy for you, and you’ve always been the best and the brightest, pray for the gift of humility and for the ability to learn from everyone you meet—and I mean everyone.

What are some other gifts that may help you in your quest to increase in holiness?

- The gift of a cheerful countenance so that people are drawn to you. 

-  The gift of true conversion so that nothing can distract you or dissuade you from living the truths of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

-  The gift of selflessness.

-  The gift of forgiveness.

-  The gift to be healed.

-  The gift of wisdom—even the wisdom of angels.

            Now, will a casual prayer or a casual presentation of your gift card—so to speak—to your Heavenly Father be enough for you to acquire the spiritual gift you are seeking?  Never!  Zero chance!

What Would A Holy Woman Do?

WHAT WOULD A HOLY WOMAN DO?

Sunday July 7, 2013 Presidency Message

            In thinking about how to learn about holiness, I’m wondering if for three days you would be willing to, just once each day, purposely choose one of your daily activities and try to “be holy” while doing it, or do it as a holy woman would do it.  For example, how would a holy woman start her day?  What would be on her “to do” list?  How would a holy woman approach a difficult assignment or a new overwhelming project?  How would she read to a child, or exercise?  How would she talk with a friend, or shop, or play or pray, or do laundry?

            How would a holy woman handle a conflict or avoid a conflict?  What would she read, or say, or listen to, or watch, or wear?  What would she do in really difficult situations?  If someone said something to you that was confusing, or hurtful, or demoralizing, how would a holy woman respond?  What would she do?  If she were betrayed, or misunderstood, or falsely accused, what would a holy woman do?

            How would a holy woman respond to her own success or failure?  How would she respond to the successes and failures of others?  How would a holy woman use her time and energy and money?  How would she prepare to partake of the sacrament each Sunday?

            How would a holy married woman welcome her husband home? Or how would she help him to welcome her home so they both felt loved, adored, wanted, and needed?  How would a holy single young woman date, or use her time when not dating?

            Would you be willing to try that?  Choose one thing a day for three days—a different thing each day or the same thing—you can’t do this wrong.

Why modesty is Important

I came across this clip on swimsuit modesty but the principles talked about apply to modesty in general.  I think it has a great message and another example why modesty is important.  I hope you enjoy it.

 https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10201373174636163

Quote from President Gordon B. Hinckley, shared by Sister Royer

"Woman is God’s supreme creation. Only after the earth had been formed, after the day had been separated from the night, after the waters had been divided from the land, after vegetation and animal life had been created, and after man had been placed on the earth, was woman created; and only then was the work pronounced complete and good.

"Of all the creations of the Almighty, there is none more beautiful, none more inspiring than a lovely daughter of God who walks in virtue with an understanding of why she should do so, who honors and respects her body as a thing sacred and divine, who cultivates her mind and constantly enlarges the horizon of her understanding, who nurtures her spirit with everlasting truth." 

--President Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, September 1988

Father's Day

Slow Cooker Black Bean and Corn Salsa Chicken

1 (14 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14 oz) can corn, drained
1 T taco seasoning or 1 oz package taco seasoning
1/2 lb chicken breasts
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup Water

Place all ingredients in resalable gallon sized freezer bag.  Mix together in bag and zip closed.  When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours.  

Cook on high for 3-4 hours or Low for 7-8 hours.  

When finished cooking, shred chicken and serve over rice, with tortilla chips, over a salad, in tortilla shells, or wrapped in a soft tortilla (this meat is so versatile).  Garnish with cheese, sour cream, avocado, lettuce, tomato, and hot sauce.  

Shortcake Biscuits, Lemon Curd & Lemonade From Cindy Bingham

Shortcake Biscuits

Ingredients

2 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons butter

2/3 cup milk

1 egg yolk, well beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Add butter and cut into dry ingredients using a fork or pastry cutter. Mix wet ingredients and add to dry. Mix as little as possible until dry ingredients are just moistened. Dump onto lightly floured surface and knead very lightly, 4 or 5 times and pat dough into 1/3 to ½ inch thick sheet. Use biscuit cutter, cookie cutter, or glass cut to cut out rounds (or squares).  Move to lightly oiled cookie sheet. Brush tops with milk and sprinkle on sugar. Bake @ 350 for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Lemon Curd

Ingredients

3 lemons
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
4 extra-large eggs
1/2 cup lemon juice (3 to 4 lemons)
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions
Using a peeler, zester, or grater remove the zest of 3 lemons, being careful to avoid the white pith. Put the zest in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the sugar and pulse until the zest is very finely minced into the sugar.
Cream the butter and beat in the sugar and lemon mixture. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lemon juice and salt. Mix until combined.
Pour the mixture into a 2 quart saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened (about 10 minutes), stirring constantly. The lemon curd will thicken at about 170 degrees F, or just below simmer. Remove from the heat and cool or refrigerate.

Stabilized Whipped Cream

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 Tablespoon cold water
1 cup cold heavy or whipping cream
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a small bowl put the 1 tablespoon of water and sprinkle the gelatin over it. Allow to sit for 5 minutes. Microwave for 30 seconds. Gelatin should be clear and melted.

 In the bowl of a mixer, beat the cream until it gets thick and starts to form peaks. Gradually make your way to high speed otherwise you will be wearing it. And so will your counters, ceiling, floors, you get the idea.

Gradually add in your sugar and the vanilla. When the cream is whipped, stream the gelatin over the whipped cream, while you are beating it. This makes it so your whipped cream won’t weep or break until it is used. It can sit in the fridge for a couple of days and still be usable.

LEMONADE 

1 cup sugar (can reduce to 3/4 cup) (I reduce so it isn't so sweet)

1 cup water (for the simple syrup)

1 cup lemon juice

3 to 4 cups cold water or lemon lime soda (to dilute)

 Make simple syrup by heating the sugar and water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely.

 While the sugar is dissolving, use a juicer to extract the juice from 4 to 6 lemons, enough for one cup of juice.

 Add the juice and the sugar water to a pitcher. Add 3 to 4 cups of cold water, more or less to the desired strength. Refrigerate 30 to 40 minutes. If the lemonade is a little sweet for your taste, add a little more straight lemon juice to it.

Serve with ice, sliced lemons.