Inflation has driven many people to look for coupons for the first time only to find that coupons don’t come in the mail anymore. Company Savings Programs, Shopping, and Reward Apps are the first lines of defense and there are many to pick from.
The first place to look for cost savings is with the companies you work with. In our case, we shop at Kroger. They have a Loyalty Program that not only gives you coupons but also gives discounts on gas. Who would not want a grocer like that?
Our local CVS (drug store) pays a reward on many items including prescriptions. You sign up for the program and are given a card to use at checkout. Your card is scanned at the beginning of check-out and the money is in your account until the cash-out date. In this case, the reward money can only be used at CVS.
Don’t forget to look at Savings Programs offered directly from the stores you shop at. I belong to the Savings Programs for several of the stores I shop at. The companies offer a small reward for shopping with them and if they work with a company like Ratuken, it’s a double reward.
As far as Apps go, I use the reward Apps PayPal Honey and Ratuken for my online shopping. They are loaded in my browser and automatically pick up if a reward is offered. The rewards are turned into money and stack up fast. The other tip is, companies change the percentage paid by Ratuken regularly. If I don’t need anything right away, I wait until the percentage offered by Ratuken is higher before buying.
Another way to shop is to go straight to PayPal Honey and Ratuken sites and shop from their store list. These are just two Apps but there are many to pick from to meet your needs.
To find out what Apps are right for you, go to the App Store, review what’s available, and look for Apps that offer rewards to the largest number of stores to give you the best opportunity to earn. Make sure to read reviews before downloading.
I want to thank Editor Andrea Marchiano from Trigger Publishing for sending me The Marvelous Magical Door to review. Mental Health books written for children teach by writing in a level they understand and will help you start a conversation on the subject.
About the Author
Leo is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts and has been working in community mental health. He and his wife, Deborah along with their vizsla dog, Scout live on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. They love spending family time with their children and grandson.
Blurb
Sally’s story starts like many children’s do these days: Her mind has started to swirl with negative thoughts, which stop her from sleeping, enjoying her favorite activities or even spending time with her friends. But luckily for Sally, her parents have a plan to make her feel safe and secure once again. All she has to do is step through a marvellous, magical door.
The Marvellous, Magical Door delicately deals with the anxiety and pressure that today’s kids feel. Even if you can’t build your children a magical door of their own, you can use the self-care tips shared in this book to make them feel better – and help them get back to being carefree kids again
My Thoughts
As a parent, you can see the bumps and bruises but not what is spinning in your child’s mind. Young Sally experiences anxiety from the scary images seen at night, loud noises, and even overhearing the evening news.
Growing concerned, her parents look for ways to calm her fears. A great idea is born and they build a magical door for Sally, a door to walk thru that will melt her anxiety away. When Sally opens the door, her mood is lifted by the positive energy surrounding her and the anxious feelings disappear.
In addition to the storyline, the self-care tips help your child to face the world confidently.
I would recommend The Marvellous Magical Door to parents and grandparents alike. The story will build on the foundation of your child’s mental health by getting the conversation started.
Trigger Publishing
TriggerHub.org is the first mental health organization of its kind. We are bringing mental health recovery and balance to millions of people worldwide through the power of our books.
We have built a first-class resource of curated books produced and published in-house to create a unique collection of mental health recovery titles unrivaled in quality and selection. We work with experts, psychologists, doctors, and coaches to produce our books, but we also work with real people looking to share their stories to reach out to others and provide hope, understanding, and compassion. These brave authors also aim to raise awareness of mental health’s “human” face and its impact on everyday lives.
Thank you for all the great feedback on the Blogger Highlight series, I’ve enjoyed meeting each blogger and sharing their site with you. This week we highlight a new blogger, Monicle’s Chronicles.
I’m sixty, single and surviving. Too old to work, to young to die. I love being retired and living this monotonous life. I waited a long time to live this way!
Stop by you’ll find interesting post and the prompts followed.
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “scene”. Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!
At almost 60 with multiple chronic health problems, my days of drama are long behind me. I’ve met many good and not-so-good doctors over the years and have had two bad experiences in the past month.
I finally hit a wall and blew a gasket. My scene wasn’t in public, it was via computer. After being sick for more than half of my life, I’m very clear on what I expect from a doctor and the last two did not fit the criteria.
Melinda
Here are the rules:
1. Your post must be Stream of Consciousness writing, meaning no editing (typos can be fixed), and minimal planning on what you’re going to write. 2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop. 3. I will post the prompt here on my blog every Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a particular subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The,’” or will simply be a single word to get you started. 4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours. Your link will show up in my comments for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top. NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, such as Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below. 5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read all of them! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later or go to the previous week by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find below the “Like” button on my post. 6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get! 7. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views. 8. Have fun!
For more streams, rules, and tips for Stream of Consciousness Saturday, visit our host, Linda at: Linda G Hill
I want to send a special thank you to Vital Field’s Communications Director Nassia Bitha for sending me the New Anti-Aging Cell. If you’ve read my blog long enough you know that my relationship with Vital Field started over two years ago and I’ve reviewed many of their products. I don’t completely understand the science behind each Cell but all of the reviews I’ve done have been positive.
Who doesn’t want to add a Holistic approach to living your best life?
This post contains affiliate links that may earn me a commission to fund my coffee habit.
About Vital Field
Vitalfield has collaborated extensively with expert scientists and healthcare practitioners in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, with a focus on biophysical and frequency medicine applications. Until early 2018, most of the technology in this field involved significant investments and training before it could be utilized in clinical environments.
Recent scientific breakthroughs have made this treatment accessible to the general public, in the form of miniature, portable and wearable applications that target specific health problems, such as chronic pain, inflammation, cell regeneration, metabolism, and detoxification of the body. Further patented technology discovered in recent years also enabled some of these natural treatment methods to be implanted into wearable materials that could localize the treatment for the long-term, in an extremely cost-effective manner.
About the Anti-Aging Cell
The Anti-Aging Cell actively supports and shows great results with:
Skin tissue elasticity and structure
Stimulation of the connective tissue
Mind & body balance
Flexibility and energy levels
You can read more information about the Anti-Ageing Cell and the complete product line of Frequencell’s here.
Use discount code LIGHT20 for 20% off any Vital Field product.
Once my health improves, I”ll let you know my thoughts. I have confidence in the product based on my experience.
The goal of each of the many available therapeutic approaches is the same: to facilitate the patient’s growth and development. Thankfully, the stigma surrounding treatment has decreased significantly in recent years. Remember that counseling is about making lasting improvements, not just temporary ones. Here are four positive outcomes that are common among those who participate in therapy.
Your sense of value and self-worth is typically formed at an early age. Life events have an impact, and you could develop a negative opinion of yourself as a result. Actually, many people visit therapists to improve their sense of self-worth; it has a significant impact on one’s quality of life. Having a positive self-image can provide you with the strength, confidence, kindness, motivation, and love you need to achieve your goals.
A therapist can assist you in recognizing and changing any destructive thought patterns or actions that may be contributing to your low self-esteem. In general, you’ll be able to improve your connections with yourself by doing things like learning to forgive your harsh judgments of the past. Quitting can be difficult, but professional assistance is available. Things such as The Insight Clinic Neurofeedback Therapy can massively help.
A Heightened Awareness Of Oneself
Self-awareness is a skill not everyone possesses, but therapists may help with that. Try to picture this as a form of “grip on reality.” But it’s not about the obvious, like eating your vegetables; it’s about the problems that may not seem so severe at first. Anyone who wants to get forward in life should work on developing their capacity for introspection. It helps you get insight into your inner workings and gain control over your life by shedding light on your feelings, character, and responses.
In a broad sense, it’s essential for progress. Setting appropriate boundaries and communicating your needs are facilitated by your increased ability to regulate your own emotions. In the end, this can help you feel more connected to your ideals and the people around you. Gaining a deeper understanding of yourself is one of the primary goals of therapy, and therapists may help by providing a secure environment in which you can do just that.
Facilitates The Formation Of Healthier Connections
It’s true that couples at any stage of their marriage or dating relationship can benefit from therapy. The choice to seek assistance rests with the individual, ultimately. knowledge of one’s own approach to others is essential, as is knowledge of how others may approach one. Developing one’s capacity for mutual understanding and improved communication is just the beginning. Improve your relationships by being self-aware about your behavior towards others.
Improved Capacity For Expression
Therapists will work with you to improve your communication skills and the way you interpret the words and tone of others as they relate to your interpersonal interactions. Successful people in business and in life possess strong communication abilities. These include the ability to express oneself clearly, listen carefully, and collaborate with others. You might use them to concentrate on listening carefully and asking pertinent follow-up questions. It will also involve some serious introspection, the likes of which you might not even be aware you’re capable of.
These are just four of the main benefits of therapy. Do you have any more? Please share them below.
I took a minute in the portal for my doctor to see what was new with the practice and discovered I have Stage 3 of 5 Chronic Kidney Disease. I had whiplash and then wrote my doctor. Yes, it’s true. She has told me several times after lab work that my Kidney Function was down but never netted it out. She never said you have Chronic Kidney Disease.
I know this disease intimately because my gramps died from it. He developed Chronic Kidney Disease from years of uncontrolled high blood pressure. This will sound crazy to some but Chronic Kidney Disease is the most peaceful way to die. How bad is falling asleep for two days, then meeting your maker.
It was really four days, two days he was very alert when people came to visit but did tire easily. One the third day we could tell he was going into a coma and said our final goodbyes. He died peacefully, with no pain at the end of the fourth day.
One point*
The doctor gave my gramps a month to live but it was really two weeks. The older you are, he was 92, the time frame may be much less. Talk to the Hospice Nurse and she can give you a better idea.
This was a shock. I went to bed for the afternoon to process everything. Today will be fine because he brought a cupcake home. They always get my mind off my diet and problems.
Each week I showcase one of my favorite songs. I’m so glad you dropped by, have a great weekend.
Corey Kent – Something’s Gonna Kill Me
Welcome back to Weekend Music Share; the place where everyone can share their favorite music.
Feel free to use the ‘Weekend Music Share‘ banner in your post, and don’t forget to use the hashtag #WeekendMusicShare on social media so other participants can find your post.
Are You Feeling Overwhelmed and Stressed Out? Don’tDon’t fret – many others feel the same! Organizing your life and taking purposeful steps are all effective strategies for getting life back under control – This blog post will discuss tips to regain your control! This post offers easy tips to organize yourself and rebuild momentum for long-term success in both personal and professional settings – read on if you wish to regain the tools needed to take charge!
Sometimes life can make us feel like we’re spiraling out of control. It’s in those moments that our confidence can take a hit. However, regaining confidence isn’t as intangible as it may seem. One way to do this is to think about what boosts your confidence. It may be feeling good about your body, in which case committing to fitness could be a solution. If it’s the knowledge that makes you feel confident, find people you admire and learn from them or reach out to a mentor.
Assess Your Time Management
Assessing your time management skills is about taking a closer look at how you spend your time and being honest about areas where you may be wasting it. Whether it’s scrolling through social media, getting lost in email triage, or just taking longer than necessary to complete certain tasks. Identifying time traps is crucial to making better use of your day. Once you clearly understand where your time is going, you can start prioritizing the things that matter most to you and eliminating distractions. Remember, time is a finite resource, so make the most of it by being intentional about how you use it.
Organize the Little Things
Organizing the little things is an excellent way to regain control of your chaotic life. With seemingly endless to-do lists and constant stress, our environment can quickly become cluttered, leading to even more anxiety. Starting with simple steps like decluttering your workspace or organizing your sock drawer can promote a sense of order and balance. Repair that windscreen crack and start taking back your life; visit https://agdnow.com/ to learn more about windscreen repairs. Plus, small victories with middle-of-the-road tasks will motivate you to tackle more significant problems. By taking care of these small details, you can regain the reins and feel empowered to handle harder tasks.
Don’t Be Too Hard on Yourself
Being too harsh on yourself can take its toll on your mental health. Reminding yourself that progress takes time is key. Building routines and taking small steps toward your goals can add up over time to make big differences in life. Don’t be afraid to reassess and try something different if something doesn’t seem to be working; the journey toward improvement should be as rewarding as its end goal, so allow yourself plenty of time.
Life seems out of our control at times, which should serve as an alert that it’s time to slow down and evaluate where we stand in life. When things suddenly crumble all at once, this could be a telltale sign that our balance has shifted out of balance and needs resetting.
Balance is an ever-evolving pursuit and should evolve alongside major life events and the passage of time. Anytime everything seems overwhelming at once, consider it an opportunity to rebuild and get back on track.
Earth Day was first held on April 22,1970 to support environmental protection. Today there are events held around the world with a wide range of events coordinated globally by EARTHDAY.ORG. The official theme for 2023 is Invest In Our Planet.
There are many ways to help the planet:
Reuse Stores
Consignment Shops
Recycling
Car Pool
Don’t litter
Buy in bulk
Turn off the tap
Reduce paper use and junk mail
Replace light bulbs with LED bulbs
Take your own bags when shopping
We all have to do our part to keep our planet healthy.
It may surprise you that more boys and men are diagnosed with Eating Disorders than girls and women? Part of the reason for not reaching out is the stigma around Mental Health support and the lack of education about the disorder.
Eating Disorders are complex and treatment directed toward males can be limited. Helping someone overcome an Eating Disorder requires patience, therapy, or a stay at an in-house treatment center. I’ve only read a couple of books on Eating Disorders and will say it’s a very long road of relapses to reach recovery.
Due to their own stigma parents and family often overlook the early warning signs and do not reach out for help until it’s a crisis.
EATING DISORDERS IN MEN & BOYS
In the United States alone, eating disorders will affect 10 million males at some point in their lives. But due in large part to cultural bias, they are much less likely to seek treatment for their eating disorder. The good news is that once a man finds help, they show similar responses to treatment as women. Several factors lead to men and boys being under- and undiagnosed for an eating disorder. Men can face a double stigma, for having a disorder characterized as feminine or gay and for seeking psychological help. Additionally, assessment tests with language geared to women and girls have led to misconceptions about the nature of disordered eating in men according to the National Eating Disorder Association.
COMMON SYMPTOMS OF AN EATING DISORDER
Emotional and Behavioral Symptoms
In general, behaviors and attitudes that indicate that weight loss, dieting, and control of food are becoming primary concerns
Preoccupation with weight, food, calories, carbohydrates, fat grams, and dieting
Refusal to eat certain foods, progressing to restrictions against whole categories of food (e.g., no carbohydrates, etc.)
Appears uncomfortable eating around others
Food rituals (e.g. eats only a particular food or food group [e.g. condiments], excessive chewing, doesn’t allow foods to touch)
Skipping meals or taking small portions of food at regular meals
Any new practices with food or fad diets, including cutting out entire food groups (no sugar, no carbs, no dairy, vegetarianism/veganism)
Withdrawal from usual friends and activities
Frequent dieting
Extreme concern with body size and shape
Frequent checking in the mirror for perceived flaws in appearance
Extreme mood swings
Physical Symptoms
Noticeable fluctuations in weight, both up and down
Stomach cramps, other non-specific gastrointestinal complaints (constipation, acid reflux, etc.)
Menstrual irregularities — missing periods or only having a period while on hormonal contraceptives (this is not considered a “true” period)
Difficulties concentrating
Abnormal laboratory findings (anemia, low thyroid and hormone levels, low potassium, low white and red blood cell counts)
Dizziness, especially upon standing
Fainting/syncope
Feeling cold all the time
Sleep problems
Cuts and calluses across the top of finger joints (a result of inducing vomiting)
Dental problems, such as enamel erosion, cavities, and tooth sensitivity
Dry skin and hair, and brittle nails
Swelling around area of salivary glands
Fine hair on body (lanugo)
Cavities, or discoloration of teeth, from vomiting
Muscle weakness
Yellow skin (in context of eating large amounts of carrots)
Cold, mottled hands and feet or swelling of feet
Poor wound healing
Impaired immune functioning
The list of symptoms is long because it’s all-encompassing.
I encourage you to visit National Eating Disorder Association for a breakdown of the seven types of Eating Disorders and other behavioral and food concerns. Finding the underlying causes requires a trained professional in the right setting, an individual plan, and most importantly support from family and friends.
When looking for the right professional, talk with them about their approach and experience before introducing them to the patient. Finding the right approach may require research and time. It’s important to do this on the front end if possible. An approved method and training will make all the difference on the road to recovery. Disruptions during treatment can interfere with the recovery process making the patient resistant to continued treatment.
Thank you for all the great feedback on the Blogger Highlight series, I’ve enjoyed meeting each blogger and sharing their site with you. This week we highlight a new blogger, Dear Jo Anne.
My name is Hannah. I am 29 years old, from Australia and I’ve never liked introductions – probably because I’m not very good at them!
I adore blogging and find myself drawn to create pieces that are usually inspired by the difficult stuff. Some of my writing interests include adulthood, grief and loss, lifestyle, fiction, humour, social anxiety, mental health, self-improvement, and media.
Hannah’s site is great! Be sure to stop by and say hello.
This is a topic that I’ve struggled with for quite some time now. You see while I have been living with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Lyme Disease (to name a couple), I also have a great love for ALL things fashion. So what’s the big deal? Well, I’m so glad you asked. HOW I SHOW UP […]
I’m overjoyed to announce that Beauty from Ashes has joined Survivors Blog Here. Tiffany has been thru the extreme trauma of Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence and is rebuilding her life. She’s a survivor, strong to the core, wants to help others, and is very nice. We’ve been following each other and talking often, she […]
After blowing a gasket to my husband about my health frustrations last night, I took my Xanax and went to bed early. This morning I’m feeling better, even went to the portal and erased the message to my doctor.
Since my appointment was an emergency and they worked me in I had to see a different doctor. Do that once and you may love your regular doctor more. The doctor did not share some basic 101 tips that would have helped me leave with a crumb. When I found it on the Internet, I got angry.
I’ve been headed toward a wall with my health for the past year and yesterday I hit it hard. Thank goodness my husband understands my health challenges, how to put the pieces again, and knows a cupcake goes a long way.
I cut most sweets from my diet a year ago as my weight loss journey began but today I added a large cupcake to lunch. The heating pad will feel so much better now!
Stay strong, get angry, get it out of your system, cry, or scream to release the anger, then take a step forward.
Welcome back to Weekend Music Share; the place where everyone can share their favorite music.
Feel free to use the ‘Weekend Music Share‘ banner in your post, and don’t forget to use the hashtag #WeekendMusicShare on social media so other participants can find your post.
I’ve had two new health issues come up which I believe are unrelated but you have to know.
I was already feeling defeated enough after spending four days trying to self-medicate.
While at the Lab, I was not able to give them everything they needed, pee. My doctor will not write a prescription for antibiotics without complete lab results. I had to sit in the lobby guzzling water so I wouldn’t have to drive back. Success.
Life isn’t always pretty if the fact some heinous crimes take place under our noses every day. Please don’t turn a blind eye because it’s painful to see, take action, no matter how small when you can.
Melinda
I went to a Board meeting last night for a new foundation a friend, the other board members, and myself are starting. (My friend let’s call her K founded it the rest of us are on the board helping get it up and running) it’s called After The Last Sale Foundation (I’m really excited about […]
You could argue that there’s no right time to have a baby. Having a baby will always be disruptive and you’ll have to make some sacrifices no matter the circumstances.
That said, there are certain situations where it can be much easier to raise a child. These are the types of situations that you ideally want to get yourself into before settling down with a baby as it could make the experience much more rewarding.
For those who are undecided as to whether to have a baby right now, here are a few important questions to ask yourself.
This is the most important question to ask yourself. If you are passionate about having a child and feel that becoming a parent now would complete you, then it makes sense to try for a baby right now while you are eager.
If you have no interest in becoming a parent and cannot fathom taking on the responsibility, then now is clearly not the right time. While many reluctant parents learn to love parenthood when forced into it, there is no guarantee that you will feel this way, and shouldn’t let yourself be unduly pressured.
Does your partner want a child?
Deciding to have a child can be very difficult if one partner wants a child and the other doesn’t. If you want to stay together, one partner will have to make the ultimate compromise. Relationship counseling could be necessary to help you make the decision.
The decision to have a baby could be much harder if one of you is already pregnant and you are both conflicted about having a baby. You will have less time to make a decision – it could be important to look into services like abortion counseling services to talk things out. If you are pregnant, it is ultimately your decision whether to keep the baby or not, and you should not feel pressured by your partner to do something you don’t want.
Are you physically/mentally healthy enough?
Ideally, you don’t want to be battling any serious physical or mental health problems when having a baby. Becoming a parent could be too much of a strain and may just cause any health problems to get worse. Giving birth may even be dangerous for you or the baby if you have certain serious physical health problems.
Wait until you are in a better place mentally or physically to have a baby. There are times when having a baby can help people overcome depression or even addiction, but you need to be passionate about having a baby, to begin with.
You don’t want to be raising a child in a home that is unsafe. If you are living with people who are abusive or there are other issues like a high local crime rate or a pest problem in your home, you should consider whether you need to get out first. Leaving toxic people behind and moving to a better home could prevent you from feeling that you or your baby is in danger.
Is your age an important factor?
Having a child as a teenager can disrupt education and carry various pregnancy and birth risks. That said, many teen parents go on to have healthy and happy children. This post explains more about whether to keep a child as a teenager.
If you are in your late 30s or older, you may need to consider your fertility. Having a child now could be important to increase your chances of falling pregnant and carrying the baby. Most women cannot have a baby naturally after 45. This guide offers more information on having a baby in your 40s.
Can you afford to look after a baby?
Raising a baby is expensive, but with enough support around you, it is possible to still be a great parent with little to no money.
Being financially stable first could be more important if you do not have much support around you. Without others around you to chip in, it could be much harder to afford the care your child needs. This guide offers more information about the costs of having a baby.
Most people who take medication know there are side effects to everything including over-the-counter options. Most won’t even notice the side effects that are minor and they go away quickly. I just came off medication due to getting several of the worst side effects which have created havoc in my life.
My Salivary Glands aren’t working, and my doctor called in medication to help ease my stomach. The first medication had Lupus at the top of the side effects. Why expose my already weakened immune system to Lupus? The second drug was a disaster, and it wreaked havoc on my Gastrointestinal system which created so much pain. The medications also gave me right-side pain like you’re having a heart attack.
The medication was causing more harm than the original problem. My doctor ordered several tests on my Esophagus and looked for damage to my stomach. Based on the test, my Esophagus needs more investigation. I am waiting for the hospital to call for scheduling. He ordered a biopsy of my Esophagus and is looking at why some fluid went into my lungs on the last test.
I will continue to put my health first and get a second opinion before more invasive tests are ordered.
Before taking any medication it’s important to read all the side effects before taking them. Know the concerning side effects that tell you to call your doctor and know the most serious side effects, these are the ones that land you in the hospital or worse.
Thank you for all the great feedback on the Blogger Highlight series, I’ve enjoyed meeting each blogger and sharing their site with you. This week we highlight a new blogger, Thinking Sessions with My Heart and My Head.
Hello, my name is Mikka. It’s pronounced like MEE-kuh. I am 22 years old and living in Seattle, WA. I’m passionate about sharing my truth through the written word. I hope this can be a safe space for you to go deeper into yourself and reflect on what it is you may need to express and articulate. Your truth matters.
As a Christian, Easter does not mean bunny rabbits and egg hunts, Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. This celebration is spent on prayer and soul-searching on my behavior as Christain.
One very important message I want to share, I support the rights of all religions. There are fringe groups that don’t count as religions to me. My Senior Paper explored the Muslim Religion, the spark of interest came after talking to two new guys from Jordon.
This spark of interest in World Religions later became regular reading for me. I recently read parts of the Quran, and what a great surprise to read about people from the Bible from a different perspective. They were revered and believed Jesus was a Prophet. The religions that make up the Islamic Religion believe in God, just as the Jewish Religion believes.
Both Christians and Orthodox Christians celebrate the Easter Holiday with joyous church services, often punctuated with white lilies, followed by family meals and gatherings. Eastern Orthodox churches often hold a Paschal Vigil on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter, and a candlelight procession may be held that night, with Easter services and celebrations beginning at midnight.
Traditional Christian Easter meals often include ham, spring vegetables, and hot-cross buns (sweet rolls scored with a cross on top). At Orthodox Christian Easter dinners, along with red-dyed hard-boiled eggs, which are symbolic of the blood of Christ, lamb is typically served. John 1:29 says, “Behold the lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world.” Lamb also has a strong Jewish significance, as it was used as a sacrifice and is often served during Passover.