Peanut Butter Eggs And Why Eggs at Easter

When I was a child, I can remember being at my Aunt's house in Pennsylvania and having her Peanut Butter Easter Eggs.  We've made them a few times. A year or so ago, my Aunt told me that she was working with the ladies in the fire house to make hundreds of them to sell in their town for a few weeks. I decided to make them this year for our family. I had a good talk with her yesterday. We talked about the variation I have of this recipe that my mom had for "Chocolate Covered Balls." That recipe is very similar, but adds coconut flakes. It calls for much more butter and no milk. So, I made half of one and half of the other. The original Peanut Butter Egg recipe is below.

I got to thinking, why do we decorate eggs at Easter?

One reason is that they are symbolic of new birth. Jesus was resurrected! We can also have new life through him. 2 Corinthians 5:17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Another reason that I can think of is that we've sometimes used the egg to explain the trinity. It's one egg, but has 3 parts (shell, white, yoke) just like God is one and there is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.


Peanut Butter Eggs
3 cups Graham Crackers crushed (I put them in a plastic bag and rolled them with a rolling pin)
1 pound confectioners sugar
1 cup Peanut butter (can use chunky if you like)
1/2 cup milk
2 Tablespoons butter (melt or soften in microwave)
(You can also add coconut flakes, about 7 oz, if you like)

Method:
Mix together with mixer or by hand. You may find you need to add more milk  (just a little) or peanut butter to taste and to make it stick together, but not too sticky. I kept it fairly dry and pressed it tightly with my hands.
Refrigerate for about an hour. Melt chocolate in microwave (I found about 30 seconds) or double boiler and dip the eggs in chocolate and chill in refrigerator.

What are some of your thoughts about Easter, Eggs, and recipes for Easter?

Holy Week Skit for Children

Here is a Holy Week Skit that I am leading for some children.
This should work well with a group of about 20 to 40 children.
From Matthew 21,26 through  28

Select the characters:

• The Crowd
• The Disciples, especially Peter and Joseph, James and John
• Mary and Mary
• Narrator: you can have a narrator and while they hold the microphone, you can ask them to repeat after you
• High Priest
• Pilate
• 2 guards at the tomb
• Jesus
• Note: there can be several of some characters if you switch the actors between scenes

Props (optional):

• Palms
• Chalice and a loaf of bread
• A cross
•  A chair for the High priest
• A chair for Pilate
• A stone or a step for Jesus to fold his hands and put them on when he prays in the garden

Scene 1: Entry Into Jerusalem
Narrator: It was the time of the Passover. Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem. The crowd waved palm branches. The crowd shouted " Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord"
Crowd: wave palms, shout the words

Scene 2: Last Supper
(The disciples are seated around Jesus, eating.)
Narrator:  While they were eating, Jesus told them that one would betray him. One of his disciples would tell people where to find him and arrest him at night.
Jesus: one of you will betray me
Disciples all take turns asking: Surely, not I Lord?
Jesus: the one who has dipped his hand in the bowl with me, it is he
Judas runs off
Jesus: (passing pieces from loaf of bread to the disciples): “Take, eat; this is my body.
Jesus: (giving a cup to the disciples) “Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."
Jesus: you will all leave me alone tonight
Peter: I will never leave you
Jesus: Before the rooster crows, three times you will tell people that you don't know me

Scene 3: The Garden
The disciples are with Jesus in the Garden
Narrator: The disciples went to the Garden with Jesus.
Jesus: “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”
(Jesus motions for James and John to (with him)
(Jesus throws himself on the ground and prays. The disciples all fall asleep)
Jesus: “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.”
(Jesus returns to the disciples and finds them all asleep)
Jesus (to the disciples) “So, could you not stay awake with me one hour?
Narrator: Almost the same thing happened 3 times
Jesus "My betrayer is here"
Judas: (coming with a crowd goes up to Jesus): "Greetings, Rabbi!” (Judas gives Jesus a kiss)
(The crowd arrests Jesus and take him to the high priest)

Scene 4: Jesus' Trial by the High Priest
(The High Priest sits in a chair with Jesus in front of him. The Crowd is gathered. Peter watches from a distance)
Narrator: Jesus was on trial.
High Priest: "Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
Jesus "You have said so."
High Priest: "He deserves death"

Someone in Crowd: (to Peter): "You were with Jesus"
Peter "I don't know what you're talking about"
A girl (to Peter): "this man was with Jesus"

Peter "I do not know the man"
A few people "you must be one of them, your accent sounds like them"
Peter "I do not know the man"
(The Rooster then crows)
Narrator: Peter remembered that Jesus said Peter would deny him 3 times.
(Peter goes away crying)
(a crowd brings Jesus to Pilate)

Scene 5: Jesus' Trial before Pilate
(Jesus stands before Pilate. Pilate is seated)
Pilate:  “Are you the King of the Jews?” 
Jesus : “You say so.”
Pilate: “Whom do you want me to release for you, Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?"
Crowd "Barabbas
Pilate: “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”
Crowd: "Crucify him!"

Scene 6: The Cross
(Jesus can hold his hands out like he is on a cross)
Narrator: They took Jesus to be crucified. Some of his disciples and his mother were there.
(Jesus is in pain on the cross)
Jesus "it is finished"
Narrator: Jesus said those words and he died.
Narrator:  They took him down and laid him in a tomb
 (they take him to the tomb and lay him there)
Narrator: A large rock was placed over the tomb. Guards were placed at the Tomb. 

Scene 7: the Tomb
Narrator: Time passed and on the third day, Jesus arose from the dead. He was alive again!

(Jesus gets up and sits near the tomb) 
(The guards run away)

Narrator: Mary and Mary Magdalene came to the tomb, but the tomb was empty.
(Mary and Mary walk up to the tomb, they look in and see it empty and look surprised)
(an Angel walks up, Mary and Mary are surprised and afraid)
Angel “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised"
(The women turn to go tell the disciples and see Jesus, again they are surprised and afraid)
Jesus :“Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
Narrator: The disciples did as Jesus said. They want to Galilee. Jesus appeared to them there.
Jesus (as you ask the Jesus actor to repeat this, break it into parts):
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, 
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 
and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. 
And remember, 
I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Finish up with a worship song

New Sleep Apnea Study: IBM and ASAA

I've seen the miracle of how addressing sleep apnea has resulted in better health.  Undiagnosed Sleep Apnea can cause so many symptoms that you wouldn't expect to be related.

Now, the American Sleep Apnea Association and IBM are launching a Patient Led Sleep Study app!

Here are a few articles on it:
IBM Press Release: American Sleep Apnea Association and IBM Launch Patient-led Sleep Study App; First ResearchKit App on Watson Health Cloud


Healthcareitnews.com:  IBM Watson launches SleepHealth app to explore connection between health and sleep

Appleinsider.com: SleepHealth debuts as first ResearchKit app & study to support IBM Watson Health Cloud


Stockhouse.com: American Sleep Apnea Association and IBM Launch Patient-led Sleep Study App; First ResearchKit App on Watson Health Cloud