Sugar Makes Everything Taste Better

When I was kid, we didn't always have a lot of extras in my family, but it didn't really bother me at the time. Somehow things always worked out okay, even if it took a miracle or two.  One of my favorite childhood memories actually took place when the power to our house was shut off.  We pulled out the flashlights and emergency candles, which is always fun as a kid - it's kind of like camping.  But the best part for me was when we gathered around our fireplace as a family and started roasting marshmallows and eating s'mores (mmmmmm...s'mores...).  Life was good as far as I was concerned.

As I look back, I cannot fathom what my parents went through to make sure we had enough, even if we didn't have everything.  As a father myself now, I can appreciate a little better their love and concern for me and my siblings, and the many prayers they spoke on our behalf.  I will always be grateful for their sacrifices, which were many.  It seemed we always had enough, even if not a lot.  Have any of you ever heard of 15-Bean Soup?  I thought my mom made it up, but apparently it's a real dish.  So maybe the real secret is not just having enough, but making the best of what you have.  It's a bit of a cliche to say that we made lemonade out of lemons, but if you can find some sugar to throw in the mix, almost anything tastes better.