My Mom

My mom was the one who was busy sewing us new clothes to wear, making us delicious meals to eat including the one where she just threw stuff together and called it a “Hupe Special!” Sometimes they were just delicious, too! She is the one who patiently made me ride my 2-wheel bike back and forth on the sidewalk in front of our house so I would finally learn how to get started on my own. I mastered “riding” the bike long before I mastered being able to start without someone holding the seat! (Thank goodness for nice neighbors who would help me if fell or had to stop for some reason! LOL!) My mom helped my sisters and I all learn how to sew our own clothes, too. She must have been patient to do that! LOL! She instilled in me a love of classical music through hearing it on the stereo and from taking piano lessons. I enjoy playing my piano, although, I can’t always say I liked practicing my lessons!

The Night Before Easter

‘Twas the night before Easter. All was calm and laid back.
Fred, the mouse in the kitchen, snarfed down a late snack.
The eggs were all dyed but still drippy and sticky…
To be honest, they looked just a little bit icky.Easter Humor, Poem, Easter Bunny, Twas the Night before Chirstmas(pixel.gif – 0.04 K)

There were big jelly beans, chocolate bunnies and such,
And as Fred stuffed his face, he sighed, “This is too much!”
Phil and Rose were in bed watching late night TV,
While munching saltines with low-sodium Brie.

Then a sudden commotion rang out in the night.
It shook Phil and Rose, really gave them a fright.
Phil’s hair stood on end, and his eyes bugged out big…
Rose whipped off the covers and knocked off her wig.Easter Humor, Poem, Easter Bunny, Twas the Night before Chirstmas(pixel.gif – 0.04 K)

They lunged to the window, yanked open the blinds…
What they saw was amazing; it boggled their minds:
Across the night sky, with a noise like the dickens,
Soared a minivan drawn by eight overgrown chickens!

At the wheel sat a bunny — cute, fuzzy and fat –
In designer blue jeans and a Panama hat.
Like a speeding space shuttle, those chickens they flew,
As the van driver called to each hen in his crew:Easter Humor, Poem, Easter Bunny, Twas the Night before Chirstmas(pixel.gif – 0.04 K)

“Now, Ashley! Now, Sheila! Now, Kelsey and Bo!
On Bethany, Liza! On Daphne, on Flo!”
The van made its landing lickety-split …
Nearly wiped out the shrubs and the barbecue pit!

Then up on the roof, much to Phil’s consternation,
They squawked of egg prices and space navigation.
They made so much noise that Phil started to stammer,
“If you guys don’t shut up, we’ll get thrown in the slammer!”

Fuzzy hopped down the chimney, amidst all this racket,
And emerged from the fireplace, adjusting his jacket.
This bunny was chic, he had class, he had flair ..
Not your average bozo, not your typical hare.Easter Humor, Poem, Easter Bunny, Twas the Night before Chirstmas(pixel.gif – 0.04 K)

His ears were enormous; his huge overbite
Was right under a nose like a pink neon light.
His manner was smooth, he was hip, he was cool;
This floppy-eared bunny was no fuzzy fool.

“While I’m here,” he smiled, “Everybody relaxes …
I’m not selling storm windows, won’t audit your taxes.
I’m just here to bring you some fun and delight.
Eat, drink, and be merry! Let’s party tonight!”

So they sipped diet soda and swapped silly jokes,
Those birds and their bunny just being plain folks.
Then flop-ears said, “Hey, friends, we’ve had quite a ball,
But my chickens and I are now due in St. Paul!”Easter Humor, Poem, Easter Bunny, Twas the Night before Chirstmas(pixel.gif – 0.04 K)

He crossed both his eyes. Then he wiggled one ear,
And he yelled to his chicken team, “We’re outta here!”
As the minivan rose in the 3 a.m. sky,
He called out, “Later, Phil! And to you, Rose, good-bye!”

As he sped out of sight, his two friends heard him say,
“Happy Easter to all! Have a beautiful day!”

What is crucifixion?

A medical doctor provides the physical description. This is tough to read, but we all need to realize just what crucifixion is all about. Jesus went through this for us, in our place… be challenged, be blessed.

The cross is placed on the ground and the exhausted man is quickly thrown backwards with his shoulders against the wood. The legionnaire feels for the depression at the front of the wrist. He drives a heavy, square wrought-iron nail through the wrist deep into the wood. Quickly he moves to the other side and repeats the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flex and movement.
The cross is then lifted into place. The left foot is pressed backward against the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees flexed.

The victim is now crucified. As he slowly sags down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating fiery pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain – the nails in the wrists are putting pressure on the median nerves. As he pushes himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, he places the full weight on the nail through his feet. Again he feels the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the bones of his feet. As the arms fatigue, cramps sweep through his muscles, knotting them in deep, relentless, and throbbing pain.

With these cramps comes the inability to push himself upward to breathe. Air can be drawn into the lungs but not exhaled. He fights to raise himself in order to get even one small breath. Finally, carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream, and the cramps partially subside. Spasmodically, he is able to push himself upward to exhale and bring in life-giving oxygen.
Hours of limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint-rending cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, searing pain as tissue is torn from his lacerated back as he moves up and down against rough timber. Then another agony begins: a deep, crushing pain deep in the chest as the pericardium slowly fills with cerium and begins to compress the heart.
It is now almost over. The loss of tissue fluids has reached a critical level. The compressed heart is struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood into the tissues. The tortured lungs are making frantic efforts to gasp in small gulps of air. He can feel the chill of death creeping through his tissues. Finally, he allows his body to die.

All this the Bible records with the simple words, “…and they crucified Him” (Mark 15:24).

Easter: Assortment of Recipes (2)

Natural Easter Egg Dyes

Spring Chicken Yellow

1 ts Tumeric
2/3 cups Boiling water
1/4 ts Vinegar

Wash eggs in mild soapy water to remove oily coating which could prevent dye
from sticking. .Add tumeric to boiling water, stir until dissolved. Add
vinegar. Simmer for 20 minutes
~~~~~~~~~
Easter Bunny Brown

1 tb Instant coffee; heaping
2/3 cup boiling water
1/2 ts Vinegar

Wash eggs in mild soapy water to remove oily coating which could prevent dye
from sticking. Add coffee to boiling water, stir until dissolved. Add
vinegar. Simmer for 20 minutes.
~~~~~~~~~
Orange: Onion skins

Red: beets, raspberries, cranberries, grape juice, or red onions

Yellow: yellow onion skins, Golden Delicious apple peels, orange peels,
saffron, lemon peels, shredded carrot, celery seed, walnut shells

Light Blue: frozen blueberries, thawed

Pale Green: spinach

1/4 ts Vinegar

Wash eggs in mild soapy water to remove oily coating which could prevent dye
from sticking. Boil eggs with one of the above-listed ingredients. Add 1/4
tsp vinegar to water. Simmer for 20 minutes.
~~~~~~~~~
Egg-Ceptional Easter Cookies

Picture is in attached file

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened (we recommend LAND O LAKES

Easter: Assortment of Recipes (3)

Easter Egg Nests Cookies

1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 4 drops yellow food color
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups flaked coconut
36 jelly beans

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Coat cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
3. In a medium bowl, beat the sugar, egg, vanilla, and food color until
well
blended.
4. Beat in the flour until smooth.
5. Fold in the coconut.
6. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheets.
7. Flour your thumb.
8. Press an indentation into the center of each cookie to create a nest.
9. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are golden.
10.Remove from the oven.
11.Gently push 2 jelly beans into each nest.
12.Let the nests cool slightly on the cookie sheets.
13.Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
14.Store in airtight containers.
Yields about 18 small nests

Easter Pizza

1 1/2 lb. Ricotta cheese
1/2 lb. farmer cheese
2 oz. grated Parmesan cheese
6 eggs
3/4 lb. Prosciutto, cut in small pieces
salt and pepper

Crust
2 cups sifted flour
4 Tbs. butter (unsalted), cut into bits
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
3 Tbs. milk or enough to make soft dough

1. Mix cheeses, eggs, Prosciutto, salt and pepper in large bowl.
2. Set aside.
3. Cut butter into flour.
4. Add the salt, eggs and milk a little at a time.
5. Knead together.
6. Break into two pieces.
7. Roll out one piece to fit a 9 x 13-inch pan.
8. Lay dough in pan.
9. Brush with slightly beaten egg white.
10.Pour in cheese mixture.
11.Trim edges.
12.Make a lattice top crust out of the second piece of dough.
13.Brush with beaten egg yolk.
14.Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until golden brown.

Easter Salad

1 large cream cheese, softened
4 Tbs. mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
2 Tbs. powdered sugar
No. 2 can crushed pineapple, well drained
1 small pkg. marshmallows
1 cup nut meats, cut up
1 large Cool Whip (save 1 1/2 cup for topping)
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbs. vanilla extract

1. Beat cream cheese, mayonnaise or Miracle Whip and powdered sugar
until smooth.
2. Add remaining ingredients.
3. Stir all together.
4. Spread in large dish (9 x 13-inch or smaller).
5. Color the 1 1/2 cups Cool Whip (pink is nice)!
6. Spread on top.
7. Freeze this dessert and serve direct from freezer.
8. Cut in serving pieces.

Easter Hens

4 Cornish hens
3 cups long grain and wild rice cooked in chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/2 lb. pork sausage, browned
poultry seasoning to taste

1. Wash and pat dry hens.
2. Mix all other ingredients.
3. Stuff each bird.
4. Place in shallow baking dish.
5. Place extra stuffing around birds.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 2 hours.
Note: Left over hens can be split in half with stuffing in them and frozen for
future use.

Easter Story Cookies

To be made the evening before Easter!

You will need
1 cup pecans 1 tsp. whole pecans
1 tsp. vinegar 3 egg whites
pinch salt 1 cup sugar
zipper baggie wooden spoon
tape Bible

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Place pecans in zipper baggy and let children beat them with the wooden spoon
to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested He was
beaten by the Roman soldiers.
Read John 19:1-3

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl.
Explain that wen Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to
drink.
Read John 19:28-30

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave
His life to give us life.
Read John 10:10-11

Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand. Let them taste it and brush
the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed
by Jesus’ followers, and the bitterness of our own sin.
Read Luke 23:27

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain
that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us.
He wants us to know and belong to Him.
Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are
formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God’s eyes of
those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.
Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet.
Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid.
Read Matthew 27:57-60

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF.
Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus’
tomb was sealed.
Read Matthew 27:65-66

GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven
overnight. Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.
Read John 16:20-22

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the
cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first
Easter Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.
Read Matthew 28:1-9

Peanut Butter Fudge
2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2/3 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter

Combine sugar, syrup, milk, and salt. Cook until a soft ball forms when
dropped into cold water. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and peanut butter.
Cool for 5 minutes. Beat until mixture is creamy and begins to thicken. Pour
into buttered pan. Cut into squares. Pecans can be added if desired.

Story: The Legend Of The First Robin

One day, long ago, a little bird in Galilee saw a large crowd gathered around a Man carrying a heavy wooden cross. On the Man’s head was a crown made from a thorn branch. The thorns were long and sharp. The little bird saw that the thorns were hurting the Man. It wanted to help Him, so it flew down and took the longest, sharpest thorn in its tiny beak.

The bird tugged and pulled until the thorn snapped from the branch. Then a strange thing happened. A drop of blood fell onto the bird’s breast, staining it bright red.

The stain never went away. And so today the robin proudly wears a red breast, because it helped a Man named Jesus.

Poem: E is for Easter

E is for Empty Hearts
God, create a pure heart in me.
Give me a new spirit that is faithful to you.
Psalms 51:10

A is for Answer from God
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
John 14:18

S is for Savior
…”Look, the Lamb of God!
He takes away the sin of the world!
John 1:29

T is for The Cross
God was pleased to bring all things back
to himself because of what Christ has done.
That includes all things on earth and in heaven
God made peace through Christ’s blood,
through his death on the Cross.
Colossians 1:20

E is for Empty Tomb!
They found the stone rolled away from it.
When they entered the tomb.
They did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
Luke 24:2-3

R is for Resurrection!
But God raised him from the dead.
He set him free from the suffering of death.
It wasn’t possible for death to keep its hold on Jesus.
Acts 2:24

Happy Easter!
He saved us by washing away our sins.
We were born again.
The Holy Spirit gave us new life.
Titus 3:5

Story: Do You Believe in Easter?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas. She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns.

One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her.

Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: “Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?” Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved.

Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying, “My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?”

Beverly said, “Why yes I do.”

Edith said, “Well, what do you believe about Easter?”

Beverly said, “Well, it’s all about egg hunts, going to church, and dressing up.” Edith kept pressing her about the real meaning of Easter, and finally led her to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Dr. Phillips said, “Beverly, don’t call Edith into the office quite yet. I believe there is another delivery taking place in the waiting room.”

After being called bac! k in the doctor’s office, Edith sat down and when she took a look at the doctor she said, “Dr. Will, why are you so sad? Are you reading your Bible? Are you praying?”

Dr. Phillips said gently, “Edith, I’m the doctor and you’re the patient.” With a heavy heart he said, “Your lab report came back and it says you have cancer, and Edith, you’re not going to live very long.”

Edith said, “Why Will Phillips, shame on you. Why are you so sad? Do you think God makes mistakes? You have just told me I’m going to see my precious Lord Jesus, my husband, and my friends. You have just told me that I am going to celebrate Easter forever, and here you are having difficulty giving me my ticket!”

Dr. Phillips thought to himself, “What a magnificent woman this Edith Burns is!” Edith contin! ued coming to Dr. Phillips. Christmas came and the office was closed through January 3rd. On the day the office opened, Edith did not show up. Later that afternoon, Edith called Dr. Phillips and said she would have to be moving her story to the hospital and said, “Will, I’m very near home, so would you make sure that they put women in here next to me in my room who need to know about Easter.”

Well, they did just that and women began to come in and share that room with Edith. Many women were saved. Everybody on that floor from staff to patients were so excited about Edith, that they started calling her Edith Easter; that is everyone except Phyllis Cross, the head nurse.

Phyllis made it plain that she wanted nothing to do with Edith because she was a “religious nut”. She had been a nurse in an army hospital. She had seen it all an! d heard it all. She was the original G.I. Jane. She had been married three times, she was hard, cold, and did everything by the book.

One morning the two nurses who were to attend to Edith were sick. Edith had the flu and Phyllis Cross had to go in and give her a shot. When she walked in, Edith had a big smile on her face and said, “Phyllis, God loves you and I love you, and I have been praying for you.”

Phyllis Cross said, “Well, you can quit praying for me, it won’t work. I’m not interested.”

Edith said, “Well, I will pray and I have asked God not to let me go home until you come into the family.”

Phyllis Cross said, “Then you will never die because that will never happen,” and curtly walked out of the room.

Every day Phyllis Cross would walk into the room and Edith would say, “God loves you Phyllis and I love you, and I’m praying for you.”

One day Phyllis Cross said she was literally drawn to Edith’s room like a magnet would draw iron. She sat down on the bed and Edith said, “I’m so glad you have come, because God told me that today is your special day.”

Phyllis Cross said, “Edith, you have asked everybody here the question, ‘Do you believe in Easter?’ but you have never asked me.”

Edith said, “Phyllis, I wanted to many times, but God told me to wait until you asked, and now that you have asked..”

Edith Burns took her Bible and shared with Phyllis Cross the Easter Story of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Chri! st. Edith said, “Phyllis, do you believe in Easter? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is alive and that He wants to live in your heart?”

Phyllis Cross said, “Oh I want to believe that with all of my heart, and I do want Jesus in my life.” Right there, Phyllis Cross prayed and invited Jesus Christ into her heart. For the first time Phyllis Cross did not walk out of a hospital room, she was carried out on the wings of angels.

Two days later, Phyllis Cross came in and Edith said, “Do you know what day it is?” Phyllis Cross said, “Why Edith, it’s Good Friday.”

Edith said, “Oh, no, for you every day is Easter. Happy Easter Phyllis!”

Two days later, on Easter Sunday, Phyllis Cross came into work, did some of her duties and then went down t! o the flower shop and got some Easter lilies because she wanted to go up to see Edith and give her some Easter lilies and wish her a Happy Easter.

When she walked into Edith’s room, Edith was in bed. That big black Bible was on her lap. Her hands were in that Bible. There was a sweet smile on her face. When Phyllis Cross went to pick up Edith’s hand, she realized Edith was dead.

Her left hand was on John 14: “In my Father’s house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”

Her right hand was on Revelation 21:4, “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Phyllis Cross took one look at that dead body, and then lifted her face toward heaven, and with tears streaming down here cheeks, said, “Happy Easter, Edith – Happy Easter!”

Phyllis Cross left Edith’s body, walked out of the room, and over to a table where two student nurses were sitting. She said, “My name is Phyllis Cross. Do you believe in Easter?”

Poem: Easter Awakening

by: Poppy

Early Easter morning,
All my children ran downstairs.
Looking for their baskets,
That we hid behind the chairs.
They would tiptoe to the chair,
Then slowly take a peek.
We knew that they had found one,
When we heard their voices shriek.

When it was all over,
And their baskets had been found,
They sorted all the candy,
As the family sat around.
My youngest, who was only three,
Came over where I sat.
She held her little arms out,
Then she hopped up on my lap.

“Daddy,” she began to say,
“Love you with all my heart.”
“I have so many goodies here,
I don’t know where to start.”
“There’s chocolate bunnies, chocolate chicks.”
“There’s eggs and jelly beans,
And little candy eggs, a duck lays,
When she flaps her wings.”

“Marshmallow peeps and colored eggs,
And chocolate that is white.”
“I even have the hard boiled eggs,
We colored late last night.”
“But, I have a question Dad.”
“I heard it on TV.”
“It wasn’t in my basket,
I don’t know where it could be.”

“The man said, ‘In our basket,
There should always be a section,
Where we should keep the memories,
Of Easter’s Resurrection.’”
Then she held her basket up,
And said, “I’ve looked through these.”
“What’s the Resurrection, Daddy?”
“Would you tell me please?”

Poem: The First Easter

Edgar Guest

Dead they left Him in the tomb
And the impenetrable gloom,
Rolled the great stone to the door,
Dead, they thought, forevermore.

Then came Mary Magdalene
Weeping to that bitter scene,
And she found, to her dismay,
That the stone was rolled away.

Cometh Peter then and John,
Him they’d loved to look upon,
And they found His linen there
Left within the sepulcher.

“They have taken Him away!”
Mary cried that Easter Day.
Low, she heard a voice behind:
“Whom is it you seek to find?”

“Tell me where He is!” she cried,
“Him they scourged and crucified.
Here we left Him with the dead!”
“Mary! Mary!” Jesus said.

So by Mary Magdalene
First the risen Christ was seen,
And from every heart that day
Doubt’s great stone was rolled away.

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