You don't have to be a mother, to be a mother.

Mother's day is celebrated with great pom and splendor here in Canada. It is celebrated in India too, but not to this extent. Its kinda in your face here... you cant miss it :) you cant forget its mother's day tomorrow.  Its great to honor our mothers, we need to, we have to in fact. For all the sacrifices they have done for us. But I think it should not just be a one day event or be limited to mothers only, that is, limited to women who have biologically or adopted children only.

Yesterday I went to the grocery store and a woman was wishing someone in line for mother's day. Then she asked me and the cashier if we were mothers, I said 'Yes' and the cashier smiled said 'no'. So the lady in line ahead just wished me and left. I kinda think its not polite, to skip people when wishing. So I wished the cashier and she was very happy. In some ways Mother's day kinda segregates women who have children from women who don't. I don't think its fair. I personally know of many women who do not have children of their own, but they nurture, care for and love children in their own way and go beyond what is called for. Be it in church as a Sunday school teacher or a youth leader, as a teacher in school, a nanny, a care giver, a social worker, or as a loving aunt to her nieces and nephews... the list goes on... there are thousands of women out there who would love to become mothers, but due to situations cant, and thousands of women who are blessed to be mothers, but do not do justice to the title of motherhood. So its not fair just to wish 'mothers' alone. Mother Theresa did not have her own children, but she is the epitome of motherhood. Any woman who loves, nurtures and cares for people around her is a 'mother'.

So, Happy Mother's Day to all my lovely family and friends! :)

PS: I hope I have not offended anyone with this post. I'm sorry if I did. This is just my opinion.  

Coconut Macaroons

Yesterday I suddenly remembered that I had saved a recipe for Coconut Macaroons (biscuits) somewhere last year. I had found it after I baked a fruit cake for Christmas and had some shredded coconut left. So I decided to find it and bake it. It turned out really well, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside :) 

Its a very easy and simple recipe. If you've read my previous blogs you'll realise I bake or cook that which requires minimum ingredients and steps. Not becos I am lazy, its becos I have a little son running around. He can do some serious damage if left unattended for a long time. So I tend to simplify recipes to suit my time constraint.

Ingredients:

• Shredded sweetened coconut (dry)- 1 1/3 cups
• Granulated sugar - 1/3 cup 
• All-purpose flour - 2 tablespoons 
• Egg whites – 2
• Vanilla extract – 1/2 teaspoon

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a bowl, combine coconut and flour.
• In another bowl, whisk together the egg whites, sugar and vanilla.
• With a spoon or spatula, mix in the coconut-flour mixture to the egg mixture. It will be dense mixture. Now your ready to bake.
• On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, scoop the mixture with a spoon and place it 1 inch apart. I used a 1 tablespoon rounded measuring spoon. 
• Bake until golden brown, must be for 15-18 minutes, based on the oven. Let macaroons cool. When hot it will not be crispy on the outside.

Tip: Once cooled, transfer to an air-tight container. Or it will loose its crispiness.

Day 13: The Bible.

It does not matter what your going through to day, or what you feel - happy, sad, troubled, heart broken, hurt or confused. There is always this one book, The Bible that can comfort you and encourage you. I wanna thank God for the Bible, for the disciples and prophets who wrote them.

 "Your word is a lamp to my feet

and a light for my path." -Ps:119:105

Go to: Day 12 | 30 ays of Thankfulness| Day 14

Day 12: Inventors

Thanks to inventors for making life easier. Without inventions and technologies we would not be able to enjoy the luxuries we enjoy today. With a press of button you get cold/ hot air, water, heat up or cook food, cleaning has been made easier, talking or seeing people on the other side of the earth is possible, all because few people thought out of the box and invented stuff, even when they were ridiculed and laughed at. 

 

Go to: Day 11 | 30 ays of Thankfulness| Day 13

Day 11: Transportation

Thank God for transportation. Be it a short distance or across oceans, there is a mode of transport for everything. It connects and brings people together. It gives us a a sheltered and safe mode of transport in harsh weathers. So don't complain about the old car or scooter or bike you ride, it gets the job done, that's what really matters. If you still complain, try walking to work one day ;)

Go to: Day 10 | 30 ays of Thankfulness| Day 12

Day 10: Creativity

 

God bless the creative ones, what would the world be without them. When I come across DIY blogs I just stand in awe of the creative brains some people have. Here is one simple work of art, made of white tape.

Go to: Day 9 | 30 ays of Thankfulness| Day 11

Day 9: Limitations

 I never thought that limitations can be a blessing, until I read a blog saying that limitations cause creative solutions. Just have a look at some of the creative solutions people have come up with. Loose a drawer while moving, or found a old chest of drawers with few missing, don't fret, here are some clever ideas.

 

And what do you do when you find them? Clever eh?? :)

Life may throw a lot more limitations at you than just lost drawers. We cant do everything by our own strength, but we can with God's. Phil 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ, Who strengthens me."

Go to: Day 8| 30 ays of Thankfulness| Day 10