A tale of Easter kindness

When I was working for Norwegian

Cruise Line, I spent about 4 months 

sailing in and out of New Orleans.

I was able to attend church regularly

at a singles branch in the city, as my ship

docked on Sundays.

I met some great people in that branch,

including two young ladies named Autumn 

and Thaidra.  A week before Easter,

they invited me over to their house the

following Sunday for Easter dinner.

Unfortunately, I always had to be back

on the ship at 4 pm, and so I explained I wouldn't

have time to go home with them after church.

Well, the next week when I showed up for

church (on Easter Sunday), these two

sweet sisters had prepared for me

an Easter picnic to take back to the ship.

The meal was delicious, and consisted

of a chicken salad sandwich (on a croissant),

deviled eggs, and poppyseed cake.  I'll 

never forget sitting outside the ship on a 

bench and quietly enjoying that meal,

which was prepared with love.

I was very touched

by their thoughtfulness and grateful

that I could celebrate Easter in some way.

I've thought of this experience every

year on Easter since it happened, in 2008.

I've always wanted to recreate that meal

and that special memory.

So that was our dinner this year on Easter

(Autumn and Thaidra were kind enough

to share with me the recipes).

Hope everyone had a great Easter Sunday!

As my mom reminded me via a text this morning,

Easter is truly the most hopeful day of the year.