EASTER BROWNIES

What You Need

4 squaresBAKER'S Unsweetened Chocolate

3/4 cup butter

2 cupssugar

3 eggs

1 tsp.vanilla

1 cup flour

1 cup chopped PLANTERS Walnuts

Assorted decorating gels

Assorted candies

Make It

HEAT oven to 350°F.    

LINE 13x9-inch pan with foil, with ends extending over sides. Grease foil; set aside. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add sugar; mix well. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour and nuts until well blended; spread into prepared pan.    

BAKE 30 to 35 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Cool completely.    

USE foil handles to lift brownies from pan. Cut into egg shapes with 3-inch oval cookie cutter. Decorate with decorating gels and candies to resemble Easter eggs.     

Blessings

PROJECT 365, week fourteen

JOINING SARA FOR ANOTHER WEEK...

3.28 DD'S BIRTHDAY...

HIBACHI WAS THE MEAL OF THE DAY

 

THOSE HIBACHI CHEFS ALWAYS MANAGE TO DO SOMETHING SILLY DURING THE 'SHOW'...THIS LITTLE BALL PLAYER WAS FULL OF WATER...HE WAS USED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE (IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN...)

I THINK DD AND FRIENDS HAD A GOOD TIME EATING AND HANGING OUT TOGETHER

 

HUBS AND I CUT A PIECE OUT OF THE CAKE BEFORE DD TOOK IT WITH HER TO HER BIBLE STUDY CLASS LATER THAT AFTERNOON...IT WAS GOOD THAT IT WAS GOING AWAY FROM MY HOUSE!

3.30...BLESSED TO PARTICIPATE IN A 'SEDER'...

A LAST SUPPER AT OUR CHURCH. 

I LOVE CHRISTIAN-HEBRAIC LEGACY AND ENJOY LEARNING MORE AND MORE ABOUT THE TRADITIONS, THEIR MEANINGS THEN AND THEIR MEANINGS AFTER CHRIST FULFILLED THE LAW.  THIS IS A SHOT OF OUR 'TRAY' THAT WAS PASSED AT OUR TABLE DURING EACH SECTION OF THE MEAL...BITTER HERBS, LAMB SHANK, BOILED EGGS, CHAROSETH, MATZOH...EACH WITH ITS OWN MEANING AND REMEMBRANCE FOR THE JEWS.  OUR 'WINE' WAS GRAPE JUICE AND WE DRANK IT AFTER EACH OF THE FOUR BLESSINGS THROUGHOUT THE SEDER.

OUR DRAMA TEAM HAD MEMORIZED A LOT OF SPECIFIC PRAYERS, SONGS AND SCRIPTURE TO FULFILL THIS MEAL AS THEY ACTED IT OUT ON THE STAGE...WE FOLLOWED IN SUIT AFTER EACH PART OF THE MEAL THEY PORTRAYED.

 

I WAS BLESSED TO GET TO SIT NEXT TO AN EMMAUS SISTER DURING THE SEDER...SHE'S BEEN IN MY LIFE FOR YEARS AND WAS ONE OF DD'S TEACHERS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.

4.3 ANNUAL EASTER FESTIVAL

HELD AT ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES ON EARTH...OUR CAMPGROUND. SO MANY PEOPLE THIS YEAR...LITTLE AND BIG.  THE WEATHER WAS PERFECT, IN THE 70'S, BRIGHT SUNSHINE RAINED DOWN ON US.  THE NEWLY-LAID 'SOD' IS GROWING BRISKLY AND WILL BE MUCH THICKER BY 'CAMP MEETING' TIME IN JULY.

SEVERAL OF OUR YOUTH VOLUNTEERED AT THE VARIOUS BOOTHS, SHAVING ICE, POURING DRINKS, MANNING 'BOUNCEY' CASTLES/SLIDES...THEY WERE HAVING SO MUCH FUN WHILE BEING 'CHRIST'S HANDS AND FEET' IN SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY...THIS WAS A FREE EVENT FOR ANY ONE TO ENJOY.

DD GOT A PIC OF ME WITH 'THE BUNNY'...

I'M SURPRISED HE HAD SO MUCH ENERGY AND TIME...I FIGURED HE'D BE RESTING UP FOR ALL THAT WORK HE HAS TO DO TOMORROW!  BUT, HE DID HAVE TIME TO LET ME HUG HIM!!!  HE'S ALWAYS BEEN SOOOOOOO GOOD TO ME :)

HIS LITTLE SISTER WAS ENJOYING HER SPOT IN ONE OF THE EMPTY EASTER BASKETS...SEE SHE'S RESTING...HE MAY GET HER BUSY TOMORROW, TOO!

THE BUNNIES HAD SEVERAL OF THEIR FRIENDS VISITING WITH THEM...AND THE KIDS LOVED EVERY MINUTE WITH EACH OF THEM...HERE'S SS WITH THE FAT, 5-YEAR OL ROOSTER...HE WEIGHS 15 LBS. AND HE LOVED 'CROWING' EVERY FEW MINUTES.  THE KIDS WOULD 'SCATTER' WHEN HE RARED BACK AND CROWED.

DD GOT HER HANDS ON THE SMALLEST BUNNY...SHE'S ALWAYS WANTED ONE BUT WE NEVER HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET THAT WORKED INTO OUR LIVES.

THIS IS MY FAVORITE SHOT OF THE DAY...

ISN'T THIS THE SWEETEST LITTLE LAMB SHE'S PETTING...IT WAS SO FLUFFY AND SWEET...SUCH AN INNOCENT REPRESENTATION OF OUR LORD'S LIFE...OUR PRECIOUS, COMPLETELY-GIVEN LAMB COVERING ALL OUR UGLINESS.

A BURRO CALMLY WALKED AROUND, TAKING CORN FROM ANYONE WHO WOULD OFFER...
HE WAS NEVER PUSHY THOUGH.

BELOW IS THE FIRST 'SCOTTISH' COW I'VE EVER SEE UP CLOSE
SO FURRY AND WILL GROW TO BE VERY LARGE ONE DAY.

SS COULDN'T STAY AWAY FROM THE LITTLE BLACK PIG

AT FIRST HE WOULDN'T RAISE HIS HEAD FOR A PICTURE, SO I ROOTED AROUND UNDER THE HAY AND FOUND SOME CORN FOR HER TO HOLD IN HER PALM...WA LAH!!! THEN, I GOT THE SHOT :)

IN ADDITION TO THE MANY ANIMALS THE BUNNY BROUGHT...
 HE SHARED SOME CLOWNS, WHO WERE BLOWING BUBBLES,

 

AND CHARACTERS, LIKE WINNIE THE POOH, HAD PICS MADE WITH THE KIDS...

EVEN SOME OF OUR COLLEGE KIDS CAME HOME FROM OUT OF STATE

AND WORKED AT THE EVENT...

HERE, CM IS MANNING THE 'BLOWUP SLIDE'...SHE WAS SOOOOOO PATIENT WITH THESE LITTLE ONES.

SHE'S ONE OF MY 'HUGGERS' ...

SHE FINDS ME WHENEVER HOME AND GRABS ME WITH HER 'SOCCER STRONG' ARMS AND GIVES THE 'HUGE-EST' HUGS...LOVE IT!  I'VE WATCHED HER GROW UP SINCE SHE WAS 5YO.  THE TIME HAS FLOWN BY...SHE'LL BE STARTING HER 2ND YEAR IN COLLEGE SOON.

OUR WEEK WAS SUCH A JOY...

HOLY WEEK IS SUCH AN EMOTIONAL TIME, REMEMBERING HOW OUR LORD GAVE EVERYTHING FOR US.  WE'RE EAGER FOR EASTER MORNING TO AGAIN PRAISE HIM FOR DEFEATING DEATH AND BEING OUR HOPE AND SALVATION FOR ETERNITY.

BLESSINGS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY THIS EASTER.

MAUNDY THURSDAY...thankful thursday, even today

hosted by Greg

MAUNDY THURSDAY of HOLY WEEK...some recognize it as Holy Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Great and Holy Thursday, and Thursday of Mysteries...the holy Thursday before Easter, commemorating the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles.
Step back in time...See Christ hosting the Last Supper and striving to teach the disciples.


Christ was already envisioning, knowing...the one who would betray Him, the people who would convict Him, the leaders who would shuffle Him back and forth not wanting to claim their having to be the one to sentence Him (for even the governor struggled with doing THE DEED...he was the one who had the notice penned for Jesus' cross).


John 19:19-22 "Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. This title then read by many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city, and it was written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin." 


It would have read as:

Yeshua haNotzri, Melech haYehudim הגדר (Hebrew, God revealed Himself to man)

Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum (Latin, Roman Empire, representing authority)

Iesous ho Nazoraios ho basileus ton Ioudaion (Greek, world commerce, universality)

Yes, many things Jesus was envisioining:
..ALL the SIN to be thrust upon Him
...the world not recognizing Him as King
...authority over Rome—the entire universe (yet Roman soldiers rolled dice for his clothes)
..dragging the cross, suffering, bleeding, trying to breathe, thirsting, feeling forsaken, dying
...praying for US while hanging on the cross
...hanging on the cross (God sitting on His eternal throne)
...knowing He'd be with Him in a little bit.
God was hearing Jesus's prayers...and He and telling Jesus things

Jer. 33:3 "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."
Blessings,

RANDOM DOZEN...kissin' chickens?

JOINING THE 60 OR SO OTHER PEOPLE...ANSWERING THE RANDOM QUESTIONS LIDDIE POSTS OVER AT 2ND CUP OF COFFEE...HER CREATIVITY ALWAYS CATCHES OUR ATTENTION IN THE NEATEST WAYS.  COME SHARE YOUR ANSWERS, SHOW US YOUR 'KISSING CHICKENS PICTURES', WHATEVER, HOWEVER...IT WILL BE FUN!

1. How do you feel about Easter marshmallow Easter Peeps?  The wonderfully sweet little things have never caused me to feel any particular way...I'm impressed with their vibrant colors...purples and greens especially.  Even though they are NOW in different shapes and varieties of colors, I'd never know which I'm eating if my eyes were shut...all seem to taste the same... (or am I missing something?)

2. Chickens are notoriously nervous creatures. When you are nervous, what is the best way to calm down?  Nervousness lurks around here now more than ever, so I usually make a concentrated effort to exercise...also, stretching does me WONDERS.  You'll find me, quite often, in the floor slowly stretching my calves, quads and hip flexors...aaaahhhh, sweet relief!

3. People say, "April showers bring May flowers." Do you enjoy Spring rains?  What song do you sing when you walk in the rain with your umbrella?....Gene Kelly come to mind??  ...the smell of the heaven-sent droplets, the coolness awakening my skin, and the pitter patter tapping on the leaves and quickly disappearing in the garden; a sweet symphony no other musicians can make. 

4. When I was randomly flipping through TV channels this week, I saw a show in which tattoo parlor employees received tattoos of a co-worker's face on their bodies. I can't imagine having a portrait of a colleague tattooed on me. But if someone forced you to receive a portrait tattoo (face only) of anyone, who would it be? Why?  sorry, not gonna even entertain the idea

5. Would you rather have a tattoo (any kind) or a nose ring?  Neither

6.  Do you have any special plans for Easter? One of my Easter celebrations will be to make baklava from scratch...with fresh honey and nuts...mmmmmmmmm!

7. Cadbury Eggs or Reese Eggs?  Reese's Eggs

8. What was the last thing/person you took a picture of?  My last picture was of self and one of my high school girlfriends...we met for BBQ sandwiches then looked through old picture albums, commenting on who, where, what, while sipping the remainder of our sweet tea.

9. What book are you reading now, or what was the last one?  SHE'S LEAVING HOME (LETTING GO AS MY DAUGHTER GOES TO COLLEGE) by Connie Jones

...I found it for $1 at the thrift store yesterday--thought it might give me some new ideas of coping and preparing for this big event.  DD's received three acceptance letters...now, we're going over the financials and a decision should SOON be coming...

10. What do you think is the most difficult task when it comes to Spring cleaning?  Spring cleaning is definitely something BEGGING to be done in this house, especially since there will be a graduation party soon.  However, before that...there will be a MAJOR RENO of our master bathroom...starting Monday.  (I'll be sure to get b4/after pics).  Cleaning all the window blinds would have to be the most laborious thing followed by removing, washing and rehanging the window treatments (ugh!)

11. How many pairs of flip-flops do you own?  I'll have to go count them...even just out of my head, I quickly got to 12...and I know there are more

12. Which color makes you happiest?  beauty is in the eye of the beholder...any 'royal' color makes me "beholden'"...teal, magenta, indigo sapphire blue, green...those RICH hues ... pastels are just SO DRAB to me

P.S.  2THINKS2Share is having a GIVEAWAY for the book 

Sisterchicks in Wooden 

Shoes...so go over and leave her a comment for your chance :) 

FLASHBACK#3

It's Flashback Friday with Linda at Mocha with Linda & http://www.dipityroad.com/fridays-finding-beauty/fridayfinding-beauty

While answering Linda's questions...I found beauty in the Easter memories the Lord has given me through family, friends and worship in our church home...see below.

What was Easter like when you were little?

MOTHER WOULD REMIND US OF THE REAL EASTER STORY AND JESUS RISING FROM THE TOMB.

SISTER AND I ALWAYS ENJOYED BASKETS FILLED WITH JELLY BEANS, MALT BALLS, HOLLOW CHOCOLATE EASTER BUNNIES AND SOMETIMES A SMALL STUFFED ANIMAL. (ONE EASTER I DID GET A LITTLE PURPLE BABY CHICK...YEP, PURPLE! STILL DON'T KNOW WHATEVER HAPPENED TO IT. GUESS MOTHER GREW TIRED OF KEEPING UP WIIH IT AND GAVE IT TO ONE OF OUR LOCAL FARMERS...I'LL HAVE TO ASK HER.)

Was the Easter Bunny part of your family's celebration? Did your family integrate both secular and spiritual aspects of the day?
WE WOULD EXPECTANTLY WAIT, NOT KNOWING IF OUR BASKET WOULD BE WRAPPED IN CELLOPHANE OR HIDDEN SOMEWHERE IN THE HOUSE, SOMETIMES IT WAS EVEN IN THE BACK YARD WAITING FOR US TO FIND IT.

Did you dye Easter eggs. . . .and did your family eat them afterwards? WE' D WRITE ON THE BARE EGGS WITH CRAYONS THEN DIP THEM...WE DIDN'T HAVE FANCY DECORATING SETS BACK THEN...THEY WOULD GO IN THE FRIDGE AND WE WOULD EAT THEM IN OUR SALADS THE REST OF THE WEEK. mOTHER LET US HID AND SEEK THE PLASTIC EGGS ONLY...SHE DIDN'T WANT TO FIND THEM MONTHS LATER IN THEIR STINKINESS!

Did you usually get a new outfit? (Post a picture if you have one!) DRESSES WITH CRINOLINES UNDERNEATH, WHITE, LACEY SOCKS , WHITE PATENT SHOES, GLOVES/HAT ALSO

Does any Easter stand out particularly? WHEN DD WAS FOUR...GRAMMY SENT AN 'EASTER BUNNY' CUPCAKE SET IN THE MAIL. BELOW ARE THE PICS I FOUND FROM 1996

SHE HAD MADE HER LITTLE APRON...SEE HER LITTLE HANDPRINTS AND STAMPS OF A HAMMER /SAW ON IT?

SHE'S A DADDY'S GIRL AND KNEW SHE'D BE USING IT FOR MULTI TASKS...KITCHEN AND GARAGE!

DO YOU THINK SHE ENJOYED MIXING, BAKING, AND DECORATING THE CUPCAKES?

KNOWING THEY WERE IN THE OVEN, EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THEY WOULD BE. PUTTING THE LITTLE LICORICE STRINGS ON AS WHISKERS WAS THE BEST!

A 'FORMAL' SHOT IN OUR NICE, NEW PICK JACKET WITH FLOWERS THAT GRAMMY HAD ALSO SENT... NOTICE THE RED FINGERNAIL POLISH.

ahhh, the days of new art projects filling my refrigerator..notice the sweet ladybug she made earlier.

TODAY EASTER IS MY FAVORITE HOLIDAY b/c JESUS DEFEATING DEATH...
WHO HAS A BETTER LEGACY THAN THAT??!! STAND UP, I DARE 'YA!!!
HE DID IT FOR ME
HE DID IT FOR YOU...AND ALL HIS CREATION!

Romans 14:11
For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

SAFELY HOME...HAPPY EASTER!

TO SAY WE HAD A GOOD TIME IS AN UNDER-STATEMENT.



I'LL BE BACK MONDAY WITH MY 200TH BLOG AND A GIVE-AWAY!

PRAYING FOR A BLESSED WEEKEND...

HAPPY EASTER...

CHRIST IS RISEN...

CHRIST IS RISEN INDEED!!

Ephesians 6:13-18
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes,

you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything,

to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

VINEGAR?? REALLY??

IT'S GETTING CLOSE TO EASTER, AND I WANTED TO PARTICIPATE IN A BLOG CARNIVAL...

Easter Frills and Thrills Blog Carnival on "Becoming Me".
http://becomingmethruhim.blogspot.com/2009/03/wondrous-cross-easter-frills-and.html

Side note: I didn't make them on Easter Eve because we go to early church, and I didn't want to do this at 6:30am...but if you attend later services, you might wan to make these on Easter Eve, right before bedtime for the kiddies.

EMPTY TOMB COOKIES
Preheat the oven to 300--this is VERY important! Read the corresponding Bible passage while adding the necessary ingredients. SERVES 12

1 cup whole pecans, in plastic baggie
1 teaspoon vinegar
3 egg whites
1 pinch salt
1 cup sugar
cooking mallet
kitchen mixer
masking tape
Bible

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees--you MUST do it now.
2. Read John 19:1-3 ~ Jesus was beaten for our sins; beat the nuts with a cooking mallet; set aside.
3. Read John 19:28-30 - Jesus drank something like vinegar (gall), sniff the fragrance, dip finger in and taste, too; place the vinegar in a mixing bowl.
4. Read John 10:10-11 - Egg whites symbolize Jesus' holy, innocent life; add whites to the bowl with the vinegar.
5. Read Luke 23:27 - the bitter tears of the women; taste a few grains, remember your own sins; add the salt to the bowl.
6. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16 - Sweet salvation! Taste and see; add to the bowl.
7. Crank up the mixer and let it go while you read from Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3; let the mixer go for about 12-15 MINUTES; this needs to be VERY stiff!
8. Read Matthew 27:57-60 - Fold the nuts into the egg-sugar mixture; this symbolizes the rocks in the garden.
9. Using a scoop or knife & spoon, drop by spoon into mounds (to resemble a rocky tomb); put into the oven and turn it OFF!
10. Read Matthew 27:65-66 – the tomb is sealed; use two pieces of tape
(5-6 inches each). Seal the door edges with the tape.
11. Read John 16:20 & 22 - Consider these passages, then go to bed!
12. NEXT MORNING: Read Matthew 28:1-9 - Jesus is risen! Behold--the empty tomb! Unseal the oven door, take out the cookies, break or bite one in half -- it should be hollow inside---empty---just like the Tomb!
13. He is risen! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

Hope you have as fun a time making them as we did...it's a great way to share Jesus and his journey with your child. Leave me a message with your thoughts and/or your encounters with "the tomb".

Mark 16:6
And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him.

SUFFER TOGETHER

"Don't waste your suffering, don't let it pass;get out of it all you can,for yourself and for your service to your generation."

I'm impatient, not wanting to listen as others tell me experiences. But their experiences are golden! They calm my anxiety, show me how to share Christ's love in ALL situations.

Look for Christ in all your suffering--He is with us always...preveniently going before us, placing people in front of us for His purposes. His "modeling through suffering" is apparent before, during and after his crucifixion...a preface of our suffering in our lives for His sake. Doesn't He call us to take up our crosses and follow Him?

Tough times may be embarrassing, humbling, and often friends fall away during trials. (Remember, the disciples ran and hid when Christ was arrested and later crucified.) Charge on in with the actions Christ calls you to ... especially when our enemy uses "feelings" to shy us from sharing our past experiences--he knows our love for one another will give glory back to Christ!

Lord, remind me to help calm and comfort.

Go ahead of me, make my path straight, give me Your Words.

2 Cor. 1:6, 7

"If I am in distress, it is in the interests of your comfort,

which is effective as it nerves you to endure the same sufferings as I suffered myself.

Hence my hope for you is well-founded, since I know that as you share the sufferings,

you share the comfort also."

Classical Words

Tonight I had an experience I have NEVER had before in my life…I heard Latin spoken by second-year Latin students as they were being inducted into the high school’s chapter of the National Junior Classical League (the honor society for Latin). Their words had familiar piece parts, but mostly I had to refer to the notes to understand the oaths they were taking.

Just think back…the Latin words...words originated and spoken around the 1st BC…it is not generally spoken today. For a few moments somehow I felt connected to that century, imagining what their dialects would have sounded like in person. The young student voices I heard were lilting their vowels with Southern drawls as the microphone caused reverberation through the school auditorium.

Rememberances of their words kept popping up in my head after I got home, and I wanted to delve into it a little further…especially with this being HOLY WEEK! There were few references in the Bible directly about Latin, however, it is so appropriate what I found:

John 19:19-22

"Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross.

It read: Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews.

Many of the Jews read this sign,for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek."

That notice would have looked something like the following:

Yeshua haNotzri, Melech haYehudim הגדר (Hebrew, God revealed Himself to man)
Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum (Latin, Roman Empire, representing authority)
Iesous ho Nazoraios ho basileus ton Ioudaion (Greek, world commerce, universality)

As I thought about these words...what they meant and represented...I became sad envisioning Christ the day he was crucified. He was king to man, authority over more than Rome—the entire universe, and His eternal throne was waiting for him in Heaven...yet he hung there...suffering ...bleeding...trying to breathe...thirsty...beaten... at moments feeling forsaken...finally dying for me and you.