EASTER ROLLS

 A delicious and easy Easter roll to make with your littles, while teaching the resurrection of Christ are 

                                                    EMPTY TOMB ROLLS

Symbolism of Empty Tomb Rolls:

Large marshmallows - body of Jesus

Crescent roll - the wrapping of Jesus' body or the tomb

Melted Butter - oils of embalming

Cinnamon and sugar mix - spices used to anoint Jesus' body

Oven - the tomb

Cavity in bun - the empty tomb or the empty cloths

How to make Empty Tomb Rolls:

1. Separate the eight crescent triangle rolls.  Combine sugar and cinnamon.  Dip a regular size marshmallow in melted butter and roll in the cinnamon and sugar mixture.

2.  Place the dipped marshmallow at the top of the crescent roll and roll into shape, securing and pinching the sides.  Place on a prepared cookie sheet (greased or parchment paper).

3.  Brush melted butter on top of bun and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture.  Bake in 375 degrees oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy a new Easter tradition with your family this year💜☦

HOSANNA

 Palm Sunday, also called Passion Sunday, marks the first day of Holy Week and the fourth and final Sunday of Lent.  Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey and being greeted by the people waving palm branches.  It is a reminder of our welcoming Jesus into our hearts and our willingness to follow Him.

"They took branches of palm trees and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!"  John 12:13

Jesus ministered tirelessly in the days leading up to his entry into Jerusalem.  Among other righteous acts, our Lord healed the blind, cured ten lepers, ate dinner with Zacchaeus, resurrected Lazarus, and broke bread with His disciples at the Last Supper.

By the time Jesus and his disciples entered Jerusalem a large crowd had formed anxious to see Jesus and the man he had raised from the dead. Their shouts of praise honoring Christ as King infuriated the Pharisees who were trying to catch and kill Jesus. The Pharisees believed only Caesar was king. The crowd was wanting Jesus to be their king as a political and military leader freeing them from the hated Roman government.

Jesus was clear that the Kingdom He had come to establish was not of this world.  The Kingdom of God is eternal - transcending time and space.  King Jesus, Prince of Peace, Lamb of God - is our redeemer - the King of our hearts for eternity.

"Alleluia, how the people cheer and palm leaves rustle as the King draws near."  John Beavis

Deciding The Road You Are Traveling

February - the month of love❗ 💘 A wonderful time to pause and reflect upon the 'beat' of our hearts.  What is your passion or heart's desire for your life legacy. What impact do you want to make on our world.

There are two roads in life - the broad road and the narrow road, or the road more heavily traveled and the road less traveled.  The heavily traveled road is broad because the masses travel its path.  The road less traveled is narrow because few travel that path.

The broad road is crowded and carries with it selfishness, prejudice, hate, lust, intolerance and bigotry.  There are no restrictions, no inhibitions, no rules.  The extremes of humanity are on this wide road - the dictators, the immoral, the murderers.  Some Christians are on this road too - the ones that may 'feel' they are displaying the love of Christ by accepting and supporting everyone.  But perhaps what they are really doing is conforming to broad-minded beliefs and not standing for their own moral beliefs.

The narrow road is less traveled because some view it as being narrow-minded - too many rules, regulations and discipline.  Yet they fail to realize the impact upon their lives and the continuation of society that traffic lights, traffic signs, taxes, regulations and morals valuing life at any stage.  Social morality helps individuals to be law abiding and to treat others in society with dignity and respect.  Morality has a psychological impact upon society.  

Today the psychology of our society is affected directly and indirectly by social media and social networking companies.  These platforms have caused problematic social, political and cultural consequences.  Social media algorithm powered by artificial intelligence can nurture an addiction, manipulate it's use in politics and spread conspiracies.  We need to be vigilant and understand the path/road that our great nation is traveling by following the masses.

Our founding fathers sacrificed their lives, finances, homes and families to build this great nation built upon religious principles and values. We must not destroy our nation and each other by obliterating our country's history so that we do not allow those events to be repeated in future generations.  

Today, on Valentine's Day, I would love to challenge your heart to decide which road you are personally traveling.

                  

What Is Your Wildest Dream?

 Today our country honors Martin Luther King Jr, an American Baptist minister and activist who became a visible spokesman and leader in the American civil rights movement.  His famous speech, "I Have A Dream" delivered in 1963 in which he spoke of his dream of a United States that was void of segregation and racism.   

 Today, Americans should also reflect on the current status of our country.  Have we accepted a "New Normal" and become numb to the violence and acts of hate?  Have we allowed the stress of living with a pandemic to strip us of our human empathy?  Have we allowed our government to take away some of our rights through legislation and mandates?  Our great nation was founded by emigrants seeking asylum from the tyrannies of England.  Our ancestors honored the differences of their neighbors and allowed them the religious freedoms, languages and rituals of their individual nationalities.

I recently watched the movie "Tender Bar".  In one scene, a college roommate of J.R. Moehringer challenges him that it is not 'luck' that any of us is living life today.  We are all survivors via our ancestors who "had super-genes that made it possible for them to survive the myriad life-ending viruses that killed off so many, so early."   We need to embrace the fact that we are all here for a reason and to fulfill our own dreams.

A dream is an idea or vision that is created in your imagination.  Something that you have wanted very much to do, be, or have for a long time.  What are you dreaming for our wonderful diverse country?  What life do you envision for your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren?  Our country is at a crossroads where we don't hardly recognize the United States of America that we once knew and revered.

My wildest dream is that we embrace one another with compassion, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity and faithfulness!!  Our great nation was founded on these principles, the fruits of the spirit.  I am envisioning our country's return to our original beliefs that will sustain our diversities and make us -                                                         THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

                                                 DREAM YOUR WILDEST DREAMS NOW!

Cozy Baked Oatmeal

 Looking for a warm and cozy breakfast recipe for Thanksgiving morning to share with family and friends? Try this recipe from Bon Appetit for a big batch of baked oatmeal inspired by those beloved hippie muffins - morning glory. It's loaded with grated carrots and apples, two kinds of oats (rolled and steel-cut) and sweetened with orange juice, raisins and a touch of maple syrup.

You can make it at the beginning of the week, keep in the fridge and reheat portions as needed.  Add a splash of milk for a wholesome breakfast. The recipe is easily converted to vegan by omitting the egg and swapping the butter and milk for any non-dairy alternative.

This is the perfect start to your Thanksgiving holiday celebration - to begin the day by pausing and giving thanks for the blessings in your life, the beauty and harvest of nature and for your family and friends.

Cozy up with a warm herbal tea - Bon Appetit!!

Follow the link for the recipe for Morning Glory Baked Oatmeal -

               Morning Glory Baked Oatmeal Recipe | Bon Appétit (bonappetit.com)

                                    Gratitude is the inner feeling of kindness received.

                                    Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling.

                                    Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse. Henry Van Dyke

Seize Your Muse

 In ancient Greek the muses were the nine Greek goddesses that presided over the fine arts/science and served as the embodiment of inspiration.  In modern day, a muse is considered to be someone who influences another and becomes the inspiration for that person's creative work.  Inspiration is an intangible emotion yet an inseparable part of any creative process.

Muses still impact and affect creative processes.  The people we meet, movies, books, nature and cultural ideals potentially awaken our imaginative minds.  For me - being outside and one with nature with my muse sparks my creative energy.  It is only when we allow ourselves to be touched by  muses that we  understand our capability to create own individual greatness.

People too often move through life unaware of the presence of their muse.  A lack of awareness may be compounded by having only one muse throughout our lives, multiple muses inspiring us concurrently, or a single muse touching us briefly in a specific moment.  When you discover your muse you will encounter a force that sparks you to be courageous and inspires you to broaden your creativity.  This force will erase all of your self-doubt and motivate you to give your thoughts and feelings form.  If your muse eludes you take steps to surround yourself with people that support you and immerse yourself in culture.

After identifying your muse, embrace it's presence!  I am a firm believer in Divine intervention - that someone comes into your life to inspire you to become your authentic self. 😍 You will find that fear or criticism is not able to penetrate the emotional bliss of taking a muse sparked idea and it's impact on the entire world to bring enjoyment.❤

Autumn's Beauty

Suddenly summer gives birth to autumn, an event missed by many.  Autumn tends to reveal itself slowly until its crisp breezes pierce our summer clothing, and we stop and notice the transformations taking place all around us.  When the last fruits and vegetables have been harvested and the trees begin displaying patterns of crimson and gold that we begin to internalize that fall has returned.

Autumn is invigorating and a time to gather our thoughts.  It ushers in shorter days, brilliant foliage, southbound geese honking overhead, and the arrival of a bountiful harvest.  Internally we begin to slow down and take stock of our lives.  Dormancy, not death, is the hallmark of fall.  Your priorities may change as nature flares into sunset brilliance and lapses slowly into slumber.  Remember to rejoice in nature's beauty where each finale serves as an overture for a new beginning.

                                                            Harvest Apple Cake

 Ingredients:

3 eggs, 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 2 cups finely chopped, peeled apple, 1 cup chopped pecans

Caramel Glaze:

20 square caramel candies, 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar, 2 Tablespoons apple juice

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10 to 12 cup bundt or tube pan; set aside.

In large mixer bowl, beat eggs, oil and vanilla extract.

Add flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Beat until smooth. Batter will be thick.

Stir in pecans and apples. Pour into prepared pan.

Place pan in oven on insert rack.

Bake 60 - 70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes then invert on rack to cool.

For glaze, microwave caramels and apple juice in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 45 seconds to 1 minute or until caramels are completely melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir in confectioners' sugar. Drizzle over cooled cake.