Friends Are Worth Far More Than Money
That day on the school bus…
By Millie The Accidental Cook 
It was just a few days into the new year when I stopped by a friend’s home for a visit. After wishing her a Happy Birthday and engaging in some much-needed girl talk I prepared to leave. She wanted me to wait a minute and then ushered me on into another part of the house where she proceeded to shower me with goodies.
My visit that day reminded me of the time when we went to my parents home to announce the birth-to-be of our third child. When I told my momma, who had lots of children and grandchildren, she jumped up and hurried into the kitchen. I wondered at her reaction but before I was able to allow it to bother me, she reappeared with plate of food in hand and a shiny apple. She was so excited she said you have got to keep healthy. Her enthusiasm was contagious! She was to hover over me for the balance of the time before the birth of our little girl. Her excitement never wavered.
Though God took that little girl home to be with HIM and later took that excited grand momma, we have been left with precious memories and precious friends. According to our clothing some of those friends have helped to increase the poundage (I don’t know if this is really a word) in our family and we have so enjoyed that along with the visits, the hugs and best wishes.
There is a verse in the Bible that states that a ‘a friend that sticketh closer than a brother’ (Proverbs 18:24). I don’t believe it is stating that your brother won’t stick by you, but that there are some friends that will stick even closer than a brother.
This brings to mind when as I, as well as some of my siblings, was riding the bus to school daily. We lived approximately 2-3 miles from school and so on an overcrowded bus, we usually were some of the ones left standing in the middle.
I remember well an older sibling that it was her turn to get a new winter coat. Momma and Daddy bought her the most beautiful full-length lavender wool coat. She was in high school and though we might not have had many clothes we were always dressed nice. To me it still was the most beautiful coat I had ever seen.
Some of the high school crowd that had longer mileage to ride would always sit in the rear of the bus and smoke. Someone reported them and since they knew that they had burned a hole in my sister’s beautiful coat, they assumed that it was her. Well, since she did not report them, when they asked her if it was her she said no and she didn’t. Then they asked me and so I told them my daddy probably did it… ”look at her coat”.
Growing up was/is hard to do and I learned that on that day when my Daddy sat me down and gave me the “friends are worth far more than money” discussion. You can always get another coat but you cannot ever buy friends. It was a lesson that I did not soon forget and it is a lesson that I fully believe and value today. There is that ultimate friend, Christ, and then there are those friends that become like your family. I am so blessed in that I have both.
Thinking about our school days there was this one food that I really liked when it was served in the lunchroom. I most often did not eat lunch at school. I remember well that you always had the fish sticks, mashed potatoes, and pork & beans. It’s funny I still like to have that for an evening meal sometimes. My favorite dish though was the hamburger and potatoes so on a recent weekend I thought that I would try it. This is my version and I believe for me it was still as delicious as it was then. My Mister still wanted to know ‘where’s the beef’.
ANOTHER RECIPE BY MILLIE
MILLIE’S VERSION – HAMBURGER & POTATO CASSEROLE
- 8 medium to large potatoes, peeled & cubed
- 1 1/2 lb of ground beef
- 1 lb of grated cheese [recommend an ample amount of sharp cheese]
- 1 medium onion – sliced
- salt, pepper, and garlic seasoning to your taste
Place the potatoes in a container and boil for about 15 minutes, drain and set aside. Brown the ground beef in a saucepan (I add approx 1 tablespoon of water). Drain thoroughly. Mix the potatoes, ground beef, cheese (except for enough to sprinkle on top), onion and seasonings together. Place in an ovenproof casserole dish, sprinkle the balance of cheese on top. Bake @ 350 for approximately 20 minutes. I put an aluminum foil tent on mine….. keep that ketchup handy, this is absolutely delicious! Add some slaw, butterbeans and a roll and they’ll be coming back for more.
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