Spring may have arrived last week, but someone forgot to tell the weather. The snow we had this past Saturday was beautiful as it fell; still, I couldn’t help but feel that it would have been more appropriate earlier in the year. I measured six inches in front of my house; that did not include much of what came down during the morning, as much of it melted on the warm ground.
When I headed for church early Sunday morning, I pulled out of my driveway and headed south. Only a short way down the road, I discovered that it was covered with much more snow than I realized. There were two wavy lines in the center, indicating where other vehicles had made it through. I drove slowly, and it wasn’t until I was about a quarter mile past my drive that I began experiencing problems. The wind had kicked up and was drifting more snow onto the roadway and what was in the center was just a little more than my minivan could handle.
A pickup truck came from the south, the driver saw my predicament, and pulled over to the side waiting for me to get past. However, I was stuck. I tried backing up and then going forward; nothing worked. The truck came towards me, and the lady in the passenger seat gave me some pointers, but they didn’t solve my problem. Nor did the plain cat litter I had stashed in my vehicle. The lady told me they didn’t live very far away and they would go home and get a tow rope.
While I was waiting for them to return, I called the county sheriff’s department and reported my predicament. I asked if they could send a snowplow out our way. When the man in the pickup returned, he informed me that he and his wife had been on their way to church . They decided it was too bad out to keep going; his wife stayed home when he came back to help me.
Just after the man managed to tie his tow line to my vehicle, a snowplow came up from behind me. The driver stopped, and the two men figured out the best way to deal with the situation. Fortunately, I was not far from an intersection, so they pulled my van just past it. The snowplow driver was then able to turn right and head west. After thanking my rescuer, I backed up into the intersection and drove back home on a plowed road. Later in the morning, a man from my church came in a 4-wheel drive pickup and took me to worship service; I attended the third one instead of the first one.
I had been pondering what to write about Easter this year. Never would I have dreamed that my story would include snow! To me, though, there is an obvious parallel.
God loves us and desires us to be in His presence, yet His holiness will not tolerate evil. Justice demands that a sacrifice be made on our behalf to atone for our sin. God, in His love, provided that sacrifice in the person of His Son, Jesus. Jesus came into the world as a baby, experiencing life as a human. He grew to manhood and began to teach about His Father. During His earthly ministry, He predicted His own death and resurrection.
Jesus died a horrible death so that we may live eternally in the presence of God. Furthermore, He rose victorious over the grave, providing us with the hope of eternal life. His willingness to atone for our sin makes it possible for us to be a part of God’s family. Nevertheless, His gift to us is just like any other gift – we have to accept it in order to make it our own.
When I was stuck in the snow, I could have refused the help offered by both the man who came to my rescue and the snowplow driver. Can you imagine me telling them, “I can do this myself”? However, I chose to accept the sacrifice of time and energy that they provided on my behalf. No longer stuck out in the cold, I drove to a warm home, thankful for the men who took the time to help. My gratitude went even further – God provided for me before I had a chance to ask Him to do so.
Jesus’ death and resurrection provide our rescue from sin. It is up to us to decide whether or not to be rescued! As Good Friday approaches, followed by Resurrection Sunday, take time to ponder what Jesus did for you. Enjoy a glorious Easter celebration!
One Easter tradition is colored eggs. We have fun decorating them, but then we have to decide what to do with them afterward. Here is a variety of deviled egg recipes I tried recently:
Spinach Poppy Seed Deviled Eggs
6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled
1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
3/4 teaspoon white wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Dash of kosher salt
3/8 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon poppy seed dressing
Slice eggs in half lengthwise. Carefully remove yolks, keeping whites intact.
Mash egg yolks until fine. Stir in mayonnaise and next 3 ingredients. Stir spinach, onion powder, and poppy seed dressing into yolk mixture.
Spoon or pipe yolk mixture into egg white halves. Yield: 1 dozen.
Avocado-Tarragon Deviled Eggs
6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled
1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
3/4 teaspoon white wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Dash kosher salt
1 small ripe avocado, peeled and seeded
1-3/4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon (use more for intense flavor)
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley leaves
Slice eggs in half lengthwise. Carefully remove yolks, keeping whites intact.
Mash egg yolks until fine. Stir in mayonnaise and next 3 ingredients.
Mash together avocado and lime juice. Stir into yolk mixture, along with tarragon. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon or pipe yolk mixture into egg white halves. Top with desired amount of parsley leaves.
Zesty Deviled Eggs
6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled
1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
2 tablespoons real bacon bits
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1-1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
For Garnish: Paprika
Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Slip out yolks and mash with fork in small bowl.
Stir in remaining ingredients except egg white halves.
Fill egg whites with yolk mixture, heaping it lightly.
Garnish with paprika, if desired.