Flavour of the Day

Happy Easter to those celebrating today in Jordan and in other parts of the world! 

Recently at a hotel in Amman, where I hovered around the dessert table for some time before making my final selection, a Muslim member of the hotel staff came up to me and asked, pointing to the extravagant Easter egg chocolate display, "What do these eggs have to do with your holiday?"

Wow...I knew I couldn't explain centuries of history and tradition during the time it took him to scoop up the caramel ice cream for my dessert bowl, but I tried to sum it up before the ice cream melted!

Spring, eggs and bunnies remind us of rebirth and renewal and although they predate Christianity, they continue to serve as a powerful symbol for the resurrection of Jesus Christ and thus, also a renewal of our faith. 
For Easter Sunday in Jordan, I invited a guest poster to offer her reflections. Sonia Salfity is author of Christian Perspectives in Family Flavours' Divine Perspectives corner, shared by her amazing Muslim counterpart, Noor Saadeh.

Here, Sonia gives us a visual picture of how her life changed as a result of her spiritual renewal and below is her testimony: 

Sonia's life before trusting Jesus

"I was a 'Martha', distracted and annoyed, as I let the hectic everyday life and challenges suck the joy out of my life. I was too busy, trying to be a perfectionist and trying to control circumstances that are beyond my control. It was a part of my 'helicopter mama' personality, trying so hard to keep my family safe instead of fully trusting God. It was as if I asked God to sit in the back seat while I drove! It's exhausting to be 'Martha' because you end up falling victim to your fears."

Sonia's life after trusting Jesus

"I became a 'Mary', trusting my Savior with my insecurities, so that I could be free to sit and savor every moment at His feet. I am so grateful to belong to such a merciful God who extends grace, love and compassion to me on a daily basis, allowing me to overflow with His blessings as I share them with loved ones in my path. Instead of the joy being sucked out, I now can enjoy His continued renewal of my spirit regardless of circumstances. Keeping my eyes on Him rather than on this doomed world we live in."

If you're not aware of the famous account of Mary and Martha, you can refer to Luke 10:38-42 in the Bible. I like these paintings that illustrate this moment. He Qi uses a mixture of Chinese traditional style and Western contemporary art.