Understanding The Greatest Love

My grandmother's flowers are coming in.
A pretty symbol of the holiday.

It was actually Palm Sunday when I started this post. I saw a long time family friend post on Facebook, "Are you in the Hosanna crowd or Hater crowd". It's refreshing to see my Favorite Holiday being broken down for anybody to understand. Because it is more than Jesus dying on the cross & rising on three days. There was a week-long path he took to get the bright & powerful day.

I never truly appreciated anyone breaking down a portion of the path until one fateful evening while I was in school in Beaumont, Tx. I was hanging out with my college buddy, blog name will be Little Lady or LL. LL lived in town. We were at her cousin's house, which was right next to the United Methodist church she attended. Some of the parishioners were gathering, LL remembered that they were having a Maundy Thursday service and decided to go with me in tow.

Please Note: This is only time in life that I have ever blindly attended a church. God had to have a plan because I usually at least have a researching conversation.

Maundy Thursday, is the Thursday before Easter, observed in the Christian Church as a commemoration of the Last Supper. It was a very enlightening service. The pastor taught from the subject, "How Would You Talk to Jesus at the Last Supper". Would we be able to notice Jesus's demeanor?  How focused would we be on what he was talking about? What do we say to Jesus?

He brought groups of twelve to sit as the disciples and talk to a cross with a crown of thorns on it at the head of the table. We all "talked" to Jesus with the pastor being in the last group to finish his lesson.

Think about it, Jesus was stressed that night. He knew what was coming for him. This was his last Passover meal with his friends. He knew one of them was going to betray him. He also had to tell one that he will deny knowing him later.  It was more than just a last Passover meal. Calvary was coming up and it was weighing on him.

And that lesson stuck with after that night. LL & I used to tease one another about what we said to Jesus that night. It is one of those bonding moments we have. She sometimes reminds me of social media when Maundy Thursday is coming up.

Oh, the road to my favorite holiday is fascinating to me. We love the "He died on the cross and rose on the 3rd day with all power in his hand". But that, not all this Greatest Love Story. Adding deeper understandings to the whole story, made me Love it even more.

Happy Easter!!!

As Always Talking to You In Adult Terms

I'll Rhyme For a Love (Poetry Corner)

I'll Rhyme For a ❤Love❤

Pastel Dresses or Vest & Tie Sets
Candy Filled Eggs Sitting in Colorful Nest
A Special Something is on Its Way
It's Easter, My Favorite Holiday

Gifts of Bubbles, Hula Hoops & Jump Ropes
Sunshine not Rain is the Weather Hope
No-one Wants to Look for Eggs in the Wet
Board Games  if Outside is Soggy is the Alternative Bet

But That's Not Why I Love This Time
It is the True Reason That Comes to My Mind
A man named Jesus Died for Me
Three Days Later, He Rose Up So I Could be Free

No Other Man Will Ever Love Me Like That
Not an Alphonse, a Timmy, or a Jack
The World was Dark but He's the Truth & the Light
Song Writer said That's Love and That is a Fact I Can't Fight

Didn't Want to Keep You Long
Me Not Talking About It Would be Wrong
Like the Tiny Tots Would Say
Happy Resurrection Day!!!

Peter Rabbit Approved!!! (Healthy Holiday Recipes)

♫ Ohhh Here comes Peter Cottontail

Hoppin' down the bunny trail

Hippity hoppin', Easter's on its way ♫

If you're new to my blog, here is a fact about me. Easter is my Favorite Holiday. You can read about it Here, Here, & Here!!! Easter is the reason why the baby was born and the greatest thing to be grateful for. 

On Easter Sunday, we have a very light meal of ham or smoked turkey and salads. If it is cold weather, I will add a hot vegetable side dish, many times turnip greens to the menu, Potato Salad is the traditional salad but we have been known to add some others to the rotation. Since Easter is my personal favorite, I decided to feature recipes from myself and people I actually know. 

Yes, like most black & southern people, I don't eat any & everybody's potato salad. Most folks like it mayo or mustard based. Some people don't trust who cooked it. I have the latter concern because of 2 main reasons.

• Potato Salad is a Cold dish.

I'm not into the German kind. So, I won't eat it hot. Room Temperature potato salad can kill you. Well, at least think you dying. According to the CDC, the temperature “danger zone” encompasses the temperatures between 41°F and 140°F. Oh and trust me, I will ask if you made it the night before and let it chill for several hours. Ptomaine poisoning is never welcomed on my plate.

• Potato Salad should have salad in it.

Potatoes, eggs, & condiments is not potato salad to me. It needs at least celery, dill pickles & onions for me to enjoy it. So, if you want to make a basic OUTSPOKEN_DIVA approved recipe, take notes.

  

Potato Salad

Ingredients

• 3 or 4 mid-sized Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

• 3 Tbsps. finely chopped dill pickles

• 1/2 cup chopped white or yellow onion

• 2 stalks celery, chopped

• 1 or 2 chopped scallions, including the greens

• 1-2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped (My mom used a few of the eggs we dyed the night before. LoL)

• 1 medium carrot, shredded

• 1/2 red bell pepper, raw or roasted, chopped

• 1 (3.25 ounce) can sliced black olives

• 1 (7-oz.) jar pimiento-stuffed olives, drained and chopped

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise (or sandwich spread)

• 1/2 cup yellow mustard

Directions

1. Place peeled, cut potatoes in a large pot. Cover with an inch of water. Bring a pot of water to boil. Simmer for 10-20 minutes until just fork tender. Remove from pot. Let cool enough to handle, but still warm.

2. Put potatoes into a large bowl. Smash the potatoes. Add the finely chopped pickles themselves. Add onions, celery, scallions, the hard-boiled egg, carrots, and red bell pepper.

3. In a separate small bowl, mix mayonnaise with mustard. Mix in the dressing with the potato mixture.

I love Pickled Beets. Now that I think about it, I don't think I've had them prepared in any other manner  I saw this picture on my pals, Diet Solutions' Facebook page and I begged for their recipe. DS usually only releases most of their recipes to their clients. But they know they have my heart so, they gave it to me to post. *wink*

Pickled Beet & Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons vinegar

• 1 tablespoon orange juice

• 1 (15-ounce) can sliced beets (drained)

• 1 large English cucumber, unpeeled, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds

• 1/2 sweet onion, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced

• 1 Tsp Salt-Free Italian Seasoning

Directions

1. Mix vinegar & juice together in a small bowl

2. Set it aside

3. Arrange vegetables in a bowl or platter. Pour vinegar & juice mixture onto vegetables Sprinkle with salt-free Italian seasoning

4. Cover & refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving

If you told me 10 years ago my friends & I would talk about recipes as much as we laugh at each other, I would still be standing there in awe. I think I only have one friend that does not cook And yeah, she catches a little ribbing about it. My Bestie Boo, LJ and I are at least once a week talking about recipes. He was making this, one afternoon while we were yacking on the phone. He rattle off the ingredients and I had to tell you guys about it.

Spinach & Strawberry Salad

Ingredients

• 6 cups baby spinach leaves

• 1 pint (approx. 16 medium-size) fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered or sliced

• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

• 3-4 tablespoons vinaigrette dressing of your choice (A classic recipe is provided below)

• 1/2 cup pecan pieces

Directions

1. In large bowl, toss spinach, strawberries, and cheese.

2. Sprinkle pecan pieces & drizzle dressing on top just before serving

**Add a little red onion for a little pizazz**

Classic Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Combine vinegar, garlic, Dijon mustard, and pepper.

2. Gradually add olive oil, stirring until incorporated.

Well, my appetite has been whetted. No matter what you serve for Easter let your heart & mind be on the true meaning of the holiday. It is our Lord's son laying his life down and rising 3 days later, so that we could have life more abundantly. As a songwriter wrote, "There is No Greater Love".

Alright, I will have more recipes for you guys for Juneteenth. Since Memorial Day is a Monday holiday like Labor Day, I will refer you to the Labor Day installment for ideas. 

Happy Easter!!!

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Term

Preparing for Easter (My Favorite Holiday)

It almost times for my FAVORITE holiday, Easter. If you are new to my blog, go read these blogs HERE & HERE and you will find out fully why Easter is my favorite holiday. I plan to be enjoying services at my church. They are having Good Friday & Easter productions this year. If you would like to watch both or either click this Link on Friday, April 3 at 7:30 pm or Sunday morning at 9:00 am. I hope you will enjoy it. I've been told we will be blessed.

Fun Fact about Me: Yes, that is me as a little girl with Deacon Easter Bunny after an annual Easter program. My Foundation church was a Baptist church that didn't shy away from adding a few Secular symbols to all holidays. If you noticed beside us are some palm branches also. There was probably a cross and a tomb behind us also because of the play that performed earlier. So, you can partially blame them for some of my quirky ways of celebrating Easter.

I have added more facets to my Lenten observances, this year. I grew up Baptist so, I didn't grow up observing Lent. Oh, what is Lent? Here is a definition here on Wikipedia. I didn't start until my second year in college. I shared a suite with two students that were Catholic. One day in their warning me about their increase in eating tuna they explained to me what was Lent.

Well, that year I decided just to sacrifice my vice at that time, Little Debbie Zebra Cakes. Over the years, I studied and incorporated more facets of Lent to my observances. A few years ago, I began going meatless on Ash Wednesday and every Friday leading to Easter. This year, I sacrificed two things this year, Soda & Candy.

I've sacrificed them both at different times but never both at the same time. I have to say my desires for them are lessening for them. Maybe these soda & candy devils will get the behind me for good. But my biggest incorporation this year was in my morning devotionals.

This year, I've been doing very well reading a morning devotion. During Lent, I decided to dedicate my reading solely to this season. The Lenten devotionals were very educational for me. I being a believer that believes the whole Bible (Old & New Testament) is the infallible word of God, loves when Biblical readings bridge both testaments. Most of the Lenten readings linked scripture from the Old to the New. Ok, for example, an easy one God provided a lamb for Abraham instead of him sacrificing his son, Isaac like God had previously asked him to. (Genesis 2:2-18) This incident is one of anticipation of God's sacrifice of his only son, Jesus Christ, on the cross at Calvary, for the world's sin. God's great love required of himself what he did not demand of Abraham. My Lenten readings were like that. I loved them.

Fun Fact about Me: When I was in elementary school, I thought (no one told me) Good Friday was a Baptist holiday that we took the day off to celebrate. Can you imagine my feelings when I learned the truth that my mother just didn't send us to school on that day because she was off? (The truancy laws were Not stringent when I was a kid so taking a personal day was common.)  

Also, this week, which is called Holy Week in the Christian religion, I am reading scriptures & listening to prayers that reference the days that guide us on the path Jesus took to the cross and in the morning he rose. Very simple prayers that acknowledge and thank our God for all that he went through on our behalf. Because God did not have to do it. But he did and he is due all manner of adoration for it.

Some time ago I told the Lord I needed a way for him to pour into me in new ways. God really showed out with this devotional. I am happy to add it to my life.

So, what do you do to "spiritually" prepare yourself for Easter? Observe Lent? Observe Holy Week? Other ways? Let me know in the comments.

Happy Easter to you all.
Remember Christ rose for us so, we should always rise for him

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms