Easter Sunday; Boy is this Holiday Misunderstood!

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Although most people think of Easter as a Christan holiday, would you believe it if I told you it is actually not?

Easter gets it's root from pagan holiday rituals to celebrate spring and new life. The pagans used Easter to celebrate the god of fertility believing that she controlled the growth around them and if they didn't worship her she would harden their land and close their wombs.

When I look at Easter I don't see Christ in any common celebrations of this holiday either. Hunting Easter eggs, the Easter bunny, and candy are all the current celebration of the world around us and I don't believe that the dancing to the god of fertility exactly portrays Christ either. These things all has pagan roots and came not from the word of God, but from men and women trying to understand their world without God's view.

Don't get me wrong here, I don't believe that abstaining from holidays is going to help your children understand Christ better and I do believe that making things to point to Christ is a much better way to do it, but I think another key is not to emphasize those things that are not of God. Going to things like the Passion Play, or even putting on a Passion Play, reading about Jesus's sacrifice on the cross and even having a resurrection  party are all things we can do to celebrate Christ with this holiday.

But alas I'm not done rambling yet. You knew there was more didn't you?

This is not how God intended for us to celebrate his work on the cross.

What? Blasphemy you say? Well I don't see any references to Easter in scripture do you?

He gave us the high holy days in his word, those days that were written in the Torah to celebrate remember and worship him. Those days were all pictures that he wanted us to remember and to relive so that we would better understand who he is and how his words were fulfilled by Jesus dying on that cross.

The people of the old treatment had no idea the depth of what they were celebrating when they celebrated Passover. This holiday was made for them to celebrate their exodus from the slavery and bondage in Egypt. How many of us realize it was also made for us to celebrate our exodus from slavery and bondage to sin?

The pascal lamb or passover  lamb was the lamb sacrificed on that sad night that the angel of death tread through the streets raking the firstborn sons of Egypt. the first celebration if this holiday was on that night as they were to sacrifice the lamb and put the blood if this lamb on their door to show their covering of the Lords protection.

Looking more closely at the instructions gives us a big clue. They were to drain the blood of the pascal lamb and put the basin of blood on the ground at the base of the door (usually in the  center of the door way) then they were to take and dip the branches in the blood and strike the  top of the door and then the two side posts if the door. Do you see the picture yet? The basin for the nails in his feet, the top of the door marking the crown of thorns and lastly the sides marking the nails in his hands, altogether forming a cross on the door that the angel of death saw to tell him to passover that house for the Lord resided with those inside.

Is this staying to look like God's celebration for us yet? It should.Paul makes it very clear when he tells us that Jesus is our passover lamb, sent to take away the sins of the world. If this isn't a more obvious instruction, I don't know what is.

With all that being said, in this house hold we celebrate passover, and plan to explain Easter to our girls as well. Easter dinner with family and friend will most likely be common for us as well, but for me I want to hold the celebration of Passover in higher esteem since God specifically designed it for me to celebrate him with.

Ultimately, whatever we do we need to be sure to turn our eyes and hearts to his calling. He has instructed us to not stumble each other with legalism, so one plan to celebrate shouldn't hinder you from celebrating Christ as you see fit! But I am curious to know how many people know the roots of the things they celebrate. Have you researched the holidays you celebrate?

Celebrate for HE IS RISEN!

Does your family celebrate Passover? Why or why not? How do you celebrate Easter?

Whole Wheat Biscuits and Gravy

Sorry for the lack of attention you all have been gettin', cold season has struck our area and my poor girls got it! Not that that's the greatest excuse, but hey kiddo's come first!

So that being said I'm keeping it short and sweet. So here is your recipe, in two parts!

Whole Wheat Biscuits
makes about 8

1 cup Sprouted Wheat Flour
1 cup All Purpose Flour
1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1-2 tsp Real Sea Salt (to preference)
6-8 tbsp Butter (to preference)
1 cup Buttermilk

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
Cut in butter until crumbly
Mix in buttermilk until just combined, not too much!
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface.
Gently pat into a circle and cut out your biscuits (I use a cup)
Place on a cookie sheet in a 425-450 degree oven for 15 minutes until lightly browned.

Whole Wheat Gravy

1/2-1 lb Pork Breakfast Sausage
2 cups of Milk
1/2 cup of Cream
1/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 tsp. Salt (or to Taste)
1 tsp. Pepper (or to Taste)

Brown Sausage in a pan.
Add your Flour mix it in to the grease.
Add your Milk and Cream
Mix in your Salt and Pepper.
Stir over medium heat until sauce starts to thicken.
Keep on low until ready to serve.

Top your biscuits with the gravy (and even some cheddar cheese if you are so inclined) and serve to your hungry hungry brood. Yes even my 8 month old eats it!

Enjoy!

Kick out the cold . . and keep the warmth in!: Door Covering

So we are in the process of winterizing our apartment, and while there isn't a ton we can do being this isn't a place we own, we are trying to do all we can to keep our heat. . .

Today, I made door bottom covers. I know you're thinking of those hideous weiner dogs that grandma always used to cover the bottom of the door and yelled at everyone that walked in to make sure they went back in place at the foot of the door. . . and yes this is essentially the same thing, with a twist.

I can't stand those frufru goofy dog shapes! they always seemed tacky to me and what's worse with people trapsing back and forth in and out of the house they always got wet and sometimes they'd start to either mold or get musty which all in all made them awful smelling. Plus they never stayed with the door and putting them back every time the door opens is a pain! Enter my solution:

The door cover is actually attached to the door by looping the button holes in the fabric over command hooks attached to the door, it's neutral to keep my tacky-hating design self happy, and it's fully washable! Essentially it's a bag, a little longer than the door (to cover the edges) that you stuff with sand or plastic bags or blankets (basically whatever you feel like stuffing it with) and hang on the door. Keeps the cold out, Stays in place automatically and when it's gross it goes in the washing machine!

and here's how to make it:

Take any fabric that you sorta like (durable is preferred) and an old dead pair of blue jeans.

Cut out a length of your blue jeans to 3 inches wide and about same length as the door plus 4 inches.

Cut a length of your favored fabric to about 2 1/2 foot wide and the length of your door (plus 4 in)

Turn the fabric down on the long sides about 1 1/2 inches and sew the edge down.

Take your ruler and measure 7 inches in on either side and make a vertical line on the hems you have just sewn. Then measure 7-10 inches in from each mark (depending on your door) and make another vertical line. What you should have now is eight vertical lines total on the two sides of the fabric toward the top of the door. These are the marks for your button holes.

You should now re-enforce all of the surrounding fabric by sewing a box around the line (make sure to hit the outer edge twice on your machine!) Then take a razor blade and slice the line to finish your button hole.

Now to re-enforce the bottom (So the wear and tear won't tear your bottom as easy!) You'll need to make a wide bias tape out of the denim strip. in the very middle (in between your hems) make a mark all the way across.You'll want the denim bias to follow  that line precisely. Sew it down.

Now with the wrong side of your fabric out line up your button holes. Sew the ends and reenforce the seams well. Turn your project right side out. Fill with your desired stuffing about half full.

Now to hang it on the door!

What are you doing this winter to keep out the cold?