Easter Weekend Fun

On Saturday, we went straight to Wal-mart to buy our groceries. We were going to cook Easter supper on Saturday and take it to the Farm. We got back home and started cooking immediately. I also set the food coloring up for egg dying.

This was the menu:

appetizer-- (made from the dyed eggs) deviled eggs

salad--lettuce, black olive, tomato, cucumber

bread--french bread

meat main: HAm (pineapple, cherry, brown sugar)

sides:

macaroni and cheese-kraft

green-bean casserole-modified campbells recipe

corn casserole--paula deen recipe

potato salad-star private stock store bought...yum

sweetness: charoset with pecans-.

Took it to the farm. Had a delightful dinner with MIL,FIL, DH, DD, DS and me. Afterwards, the in-laws gave the kids easter baskets and hid easter eggs. I am sure they all had a tremendous time.

Easter morning:

We all woke up and took our time getting ready. I finished up the hand ribbons for the kids. We were all dressed beautifully. I meant to get pictures, but it just didn't happen. We made it to church early. Made sure we had everything ready for the kids Easter special. The kids arrived. We went over the chorus and signs before church started. I had all the kids hold hands, and we prayed. We prayed that God would use the kids to minister to everyone. Got the robe for the choir special. Sat with the choir. The church service began and it finally came time for the kids special. I was going to introduce their special, but when I said 'Happy Easter' to the Church, I felt like we should just do our thing. Two of my older girls sang the verses together while the rest of the kids sang and signed the chorus. We did "My Redeemer Lives". The children did wonderful. At one point, I was kinda losing them, so I prayed and said "come on guys". Then they started to really sing the song-- they all got louder, more expressive, put smiles on they're faces, made all the motions. It was great. I heard that there were very few dry eyes afterward. People were blessed, touched, ministered to. The Spirit moved. IT was special. Now, if only I can get my hands on a copy of it. lol.

We came home from church and ate yummy leftovers. We set out on the road to see mom, g'ma, aunt and other family. The drive took us 2.5 hours. My kids were so happy with their surprise! (seeing their g'ma and great g'ma). I was happy to see mom and my g'ma too. We ate Easter supper again at my Aunt's house. We talked and then spent the night at the hotel. In the am, the played in the CCOLLDD pool. Then, mom, me, dd, ds went shopping. Later, we met back up with the rest of the family. A good time was had by all. Driving back home was a challenge. was so tired. Was happy to see DH.

It sure was hard getting DD awake and to school this morning.

An account of Good Friday

I can't imagine the joy and confusion that Mary must have felt when carrying God's child. If or How many times as HE grew did she doubt who HE was? All the pain and confusion she must have felt when Christ made His way down the Via dolorosa. The tears, the suffering she must have endured watching Him die on Calvary. The helplessness, the emptiness, the unbearable feeling of not only losing a Child, but the One who she believed--she knew was the Messaiah.

The disciples, followers, ones who had been healed, set free....they lost their friend, their teacher. The Man who they thought was the Chosen One had been crucified. He had committed no crime. He didn't put up a fight. They had seen him triumphant in debates with the Pharisees. Pilate knew of Jesus' innocence. As a man, He could have eloquently pleaded and won His case. He could have shamed the Pharisees. On the cross, as God he could have called forth anything to cease His crucifixion...

That trial began around 6 am. By approximately 9 am: Jesus had been scourged, mockingly dressed as a King, a crown of thorns was forced onto His head, a farce of a scepter was placed in His right hand. The soldiers mockingly hailed Him as king (HE who fulfilled prophecy a week earlier, the triumphant entry, when the People cried out and greeted Him as king as He entered Jerusalem "HOSANNA.") The soldiers spat on Him, and they took the reed and hit Him on the head. They mocked Him some more and then gave Him his Cross to carry. From a distance, His acquaintances and a group of women who followed Jesus observed His death and later His burial.

About noon the day as Jesus was hanging on the Cross, a darkness fell over the land. 3 Hours later, it was still dark and Jesus recites in His native tongue Psalm 22...quoting David in a Psalm that begins as a lament of the suffering Servant and ends in Victory..."My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?" Then, to quench His thirst (in accordance with prophecy), He sipped sour wine (not the drugged wine offered earlier but vinegar-like drink) from a sponge.

Finally, the time had come. The fulfillment of prophecy completed. In a loud voice, Jesus said to the Father that He was giving up/yielding His spirit and He exclaimed to the people "It is FINISHED." At that moment, Jesus CHOSE to release His spirit from the body.

The veil (our separation from God) was literally torn in two from the bottom up! The earth shook! Rocks were split! Jesus had died on the cross. The centurion, a gentile, a witness to the crucifixion of Jesus, recognized that the land itself testified and declared "Truly, this Man was the Son of God!"

The late afternoon had come. The Sabbath was to start at sunset. [Jewish law (Deut 21) prohibited the bodies of criminals to remain hanging overnight. Therefore to maintain the Law, it was necessary to hasten the death of those who were crucified; the soldiers normally accomplished this by breaking the legs of the offenders.] The 2 men crucified on the same day as Jesus had their legs broken, but when the soldiers came to Jesus, he was already dead. To make sure He was dead, a soldier pierced His side with a spear. As Jesus' lifeless body hung on the cross, blood and water poured out from His side.

A pharisee, a member of the council, a follower of Christ, a rich man, Joseph went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus. Pilate obliged. Joseph had a brand new tomb [it was customary to bury the dead in family burial crypts. If Jesus' body had not been placed in a new tomb, it would have been preposterous to claim that the tomb is empty] and it was nearby. Jesus' body was removed from the cross. Joseph and Nicodemus, a rich pharisee and follower of Christ, lavishly and lovingly prepared His body for burial. They used up to 1200 ounces of myrrh and aloe. They bound His body in strips of linen and with the spices. Then, they laid Him in the tomb. A large stone was rolled against the door of the tomb.

The chief priests (Sadducees) and Pharisees went back to Pilate, and expressed their concern that Jesus' followers would steal the body and claim that Jesus would rise on the 3rd day. Therefore, Pilate granted them a guard and instructed them to make the tomb secure with wax and the Roman government seal. The Sadducees and Pharisees made certain the tomb was guarded and that the tomb was sealed.

On the Sabbath, the mother, friends, and followers of Christ grieved and rested.

[mushroommommy typed it. The Bible said it.] I appreciate correction.

I made refried beans....

I had a can of pinto beans sitting in my cabinet. Someone gave it to me. It sat and sat.

Tonight for supper we are having Paula Deen Mexican Chicken, rice and black beans. After the main course, we will be having a small serving of ice cream covered in apple sauce and topped with blueberries and garnished with raspberries and cherries.

I open the cabinet and to my dismay, I have no black beans. No dried black beans in the bag, no cans of black beans. I have dark red kidney beans. I have black eyed peas, but those just won't go with the mexican-ness of the meal....actually the rednexican-ness (I made up the word rednexican. If you decide to use it please give credit to mushroommommy) of the meal....ugh what to do.

Wait, I could use that lonely, could-expire-any-day-now can of Pinto beans. How do you cook a can of pinto beans that is edible? Doesn't the spanish actually mean well-fried not refried? hmmmmmm should I deep fry the drained beans. Sure!!! Why not? It can't make them worse.

While they are draining from that canned goo, let me cook some onions in butter. mmmmmm onions in butter. Okay fry. WEIRD. Jiggle. Jiggle. I love you fry daddy. Work some magic. I fried the pinto beans for 2-5 minutes. I then transferred the beans to the pot of sauteing onions. I stirred then squashed. I seasoned with paprika and black pepper.

Apprehensively, I tasted the experimental refried beans. To my surprise, I like them. Any even bigger surprise, the little people say the beans were incredible/fantastic. Woo HOo!

ingredients:

abandoned can of pinto beans

1/2 small onion

about 2 tsp (or more) black pepper

about 2 tsp (or more) paprika

more than 1/4 but less than 1/2 stick of buttery stuff (smart balance, margarine, butter, etc)

Saute chopped onion in the butter.

Deep fry the DRAINED pinto beans for 2-5 minutes

drain oil from beans

add beans to sauteing onion--turn to medium heat

stir mixture

squash beans continue stirring.

Let sit for at least a minute.

Add pepper and paprika.

Stir.

Enjoy.