Breaking the Easter Fast

Easter baskets awaiting blessing on Holy Saturday.

The blessing of the Easter foods is a tradition handed down in our family through generations of Polish Faithful. We take our baskets to Church for this special service to have them blessed, so that our meal will strengthen our bodies as well as our souls. We ask God’s blessing not just for Easter but also for the entire year. 

On Holy Saturday, our family loads up the car with a half dozen large wicker baskets filled with the delicacies in which we will partake for our Easter breakfast, known as “Swieconka”. (We pronounce it “sh-ven-soon-ka”.) At the Church, hundreds of colorful baskets are laid before the altar, and the aroma of Polish sausage and fresh baked goods fills the Sanctuary. Together, we sing and pray. And as he gives the blessing, the parish priest reminds us of why we observe this tradition.

The aroma of sausage and baked goods fill the church.

Traditionally during the season of Lent, families abstained and fasted from sweets and meats. While fasting meant to not partake in certain foods at all, abstaining meant to limit oneself to smaller portions. So when Resurrection Sunday arrives, it is truly a day of rejoicing and feasting. Thus the first meal on Easter morning truly exemplifies the phrase “breaking the fast.”

The meal typically consists of meats, eggs and butter, and a variety of breads and baked sweets.

The meats are cooked the day before, and are served cold on Easter morning. This tradition is reminiscent of our Jewish brothers’ Sabbath celebration. Because no work was to be done on the Sabbath—including cooking—foods were prepared a day in advance and eaten cold at breakfast.

The types of meat included in our Swieconka basket are Polish sausage and ham, and occasionally a pork shoulder roast. In early Polish history, there were various class levels of population, where the richest ate the choicest cuts of meat, and the peasants consumed what was left. Since Easter is considered the Holiest of Christian holidays, every family reserved the best cut of meat possible for the celebration, even among the poorest of the poor. Since pork was more abundant—and less expensive—than lamb, the sausage, ham and roast became the tradition for many Easter meals.

Smiling Jesus Easter egg

The dairy products include hard boiled eggs—both peeled and colored—and butter in the form of a little lamb. The eggs represent new life: the colored eggs represent the renewal of the earth at springtime. Some colors having significant meaning: red for the precious Blood of Christ, purple for His royal Kingship, blue for the sky where He ascended after His Resurrection, and so on. The peeled eggs—out of their hard shell—represent Jesus’ transformed and perfected risen body from the confines of the tomb.

The butter signifies the work of human hands and the flavor of life. It is generally in the shape of a lamb because the Israelites ate the sacrificed lamb, whose blood was used to mark their doorposts, at the first Passover in Egypt. Just as God delivered them from the bondage of slavery in Egypt, so too does Jesus, the “Lamb of God”, deliver generations of Christian Faithful from the bondage of the slavery of sin.

Mom's butter lamb: too cute to eat!

Mom makes the butter lambs herself. She makes what one priest called a “flock” of lambs. She makes them one by one, and details each lamb with a curly “wool” texture, peppercorn eyes and nose, and a ribbon around its neck. After the butter lambs have been blessed in Church, Mom distributes them to family, friends and neighbors for their Easter meal, thereby insuring they are blessed through the year as well. I call it part of her “ministry.”

Typically, a “blessing” bread and a lamb-shaped cake are found in our family’s Swieconka basket. The baked goods have roots in Jewish tradition as well. We recall the “bread of haste” the Hebrews ate at the Passover, and the “manna” from Heaven by which God sustained them on their 40-year journey through the desert. The blessing bread reminds us that Jesus broke bread with His Disciples at the Last Supper. At Easter especially, we remember that He is the “Bread of Life” for us, sent down from Heaven. We know that God is with us and will always sustain us.

The Jewish tradition of a sacrificial lamb for the atonement of one’s transgressions is represented here with the lamb-shaped cake. The sacrificial lamb was to be perfect and “spotless”, therefore the lamb cake is generally made of white cake and decorated with white frosting. For Christians, Jesus is our Sacrificial Lamb. We believe He died for our sins, so that we may be worthy to enter into God’s Heaven, and that our hearts are properly prepared for His Spirit to dwell within.

In a more ambitious mode: I decorated TWO Lamb cakes!

A more recent tradition for our family is the making of cupcakes, decorated to look like little lamb heads. This more or less developed from the need to use the excess cake batter that did not fit in the mould for the lamb cake. Nothing goes to waste!

The Holy Saturday Basket blessing reminds us that food is the bounty from the land, all given to us by God’s graciousness. The preparation is the work of our hands, which we dedicate to God and ask His blessing on us for the coming year.

At that Passover meal—His Last Supper—Jesus released us from the restrictions of Torah, allowing us to eat pork products and breads made with yeast. As a result, there is plenty of food for our Easter celebration: breakfast, lunch and dinner. In fact, Swieconka food can last all week long! We are assured that at God’s banquet in His Kingdom, there are delicious foods of every kind that we may enjoy in abundance. And with every tasty bite of our Easter Breakfast, we know God is with us—here and now.

Inspired by God’s “Comfort Food”.

A Wave of Passion

Christians are in the final week of preparation for Resurrection Sunday. Sharing the same Gospel reading, all over the world, the Faithful are united. Whether by reading from books, or play acting as our parish does, the story of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, His Passion and Crucifixion moves across the globe, time zone by time zone, like the "Wave" moving through an athletic stadium. 

That's the awesome image that came to my mind this morning as I meditated before Mass. There are some sections in a sports stadium where the "Wave" rolls strong among zealous fans. Whole sections of cheering people quickly stand and throw their hands in the air, then sit back down again. Seat by seat, with enough participants, the ripple-effect creates the optical illusion of a giant "wave" moving through the crowd.

Then there are sections where only a handful of die-hard supporters fearlessly leap up and raise their arms, in an attempt to rouse the spectators around them to participate. But sometimes all that is needed is just a persistent little patch of believers that keep the movement going, to the delight of the entire crowd. 

When the "Wave" builds enough momentum to make it all the way around the stadium, loud cheers rise into the air. And if the "Wave" is strong enough to make it two or three times around, that is really an accomplishment. That's really a good analogy of how God's praise moves across our planet every Sunday as the sun rises.

So, today's blog entry is a little different than the previous postings, as it is more of a pictorial of how one little parish community in this particular time zone on this side of the planet shares the Good News within it's parish community.


Inspired by the Spirit.

Keeping Christ In Easter

Nothing has been more enjoyable than watching my nephews grow up hunting for eggs and baskets left behind by the “Easter Bunny” year after year. Even now that they are both over 6 feet tall, it is amusing to see them scrunch down low to look under chairs or stretch up high to look atop bookcases and refrigerators for their sweet treats. And even though my eyes see these lanky teenagers, my heart is blessed to still see them as excited little boys happily scurrying about in search of holiday treasures.

There is always a lot of talk in December about “Keeping Christ in Christmas” and with all the hype surrounding the Easter Bunny and baskets full of eggs and candies, the same should be said about Easter. I have always been concern that the true meaning of Resurrection Sunday would be lost among the Easter grass and candies. I do not recall at what age I made the whole “Jesus is the Reason” connection when it came to our Christian holidays; Jesus was just always there in our household. So when I was sure my nephews were old enough to know whom Jesus is, a new tradition developed for our family.

As mentioned in my earlier blog about Ash Wednesday, part of my personal prayerful journey through the Lenten season is to spend time with the Lord. Almost a decade ago, the Lord put an idea in my heart to use the talent He gave me to help my family focus on what this Holiest of Holy Days truly means.

After some quick research of historic detail and religious iconography, I sketched a scene of the Resurrected Christ. Transferring the sketch to an 11 x 14 paint board, and using acrylic paint, my vision of what the Resurrection might have looked like began to take shape.

 The painting was completed in one week, but the project was not finished. I created a digital image of the painting and took that file to the photo center at a nearby Wal-Mart. As with many photo services, customers turn their personal photos into gifts like coffee mugs, calendars and jigsaw puzzles. After convincing the sales clerk that I was indeed the artist and owner of the painting, and having provided a typed/signed statement giving the photo department permission to reproduce the image, a limited number of copies of the puzzle was ordered. In the course of two weeks, the puzzles were ready, just in time for Easter.

Along with coins of all denominations, jellybeans and chocolate kisses, the puzzle pieces were then distributed in numerous plastic eggs of all sizes and colors. I was a little anxious as I hid the eggs around the yard. I wondered if the puzzle would hold any interest for the boys, or if they would be too distracted by the candy and money. 

When all the eggs were concealed, my nephews were “let loose” in the backyard. Running, laughing, shouting, they rushed to and fro with absolutely no semblance of order or methodology. After all the eggs were accounted for, the family went back into the house to inspect the gains. Where during the hunt there was no organization, not so with the inspection process. Each boy created separate piles of candy and coins, and a shared pile of puzzle pieces.

They did not seem too interested in the puzzle pieces at first. But when all the eggs had been opened, and all the candy counted and the coins tabulated, their attention turned to the puzzle. What could it be? Then, everyone -- Grammy, Dad, Mom and Aunti -- began to help assemble the puzzle. As the picture began to come together, the discussion of its meaning started. It evolved from a “spectator” sport to an “all inclusive” family activity. It was truly wonderful, quality family time!

Over the years, the boys have come to expect this type of activity every Easter, with no repeats, and greater in challenge. There have been word puzzles, treasure maps, Bible trivia, and games similar to charades where words from the recounting of Christ’s Passion have to be acted out and guessed by other family members. Each homegrown activity is a learning experience, and a chance to review what we know, or share what we’ve learned since the previous Easter.

One Sunday, my younger nephew called me after Church to tell me what happened in Sunday school. His teacher asked a question, and my nephew was the only student to raise his hand with the correct answer. “I knew the answer,” he announced proudly, “because I remembered from Easter!”

"Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!" by Cheryl Michalek.

The puzzle activity reminds me of how many of us go through life. As we race about in our daily activities, searching for wealth and success, we find bits and pieces of our Faith were we least expect them: among the necessities and luxuries. How much attention we pay to those pieces is really up to each individual. Do we take the time to search out the pieces of our Faith, and try to put the pieces together? Do we ask questions while building our own personal picture of Jesus? Do we assist others who are puzzling over their own pictures? Is the meaning of Christ’s Resurrection becoming clearer in our own personal lives as well?

The Lord said, “Be thou like little Children.” God wants us to look for Him in our lives with as much earnest as little children hunt for treasures and treats in plastic eggs. If we make our search an every day activity, not just once a year on Easter, the treasure we find may surprise us.

Inspired by Faith.

Press On

-->

A while back, a coworker’s husband, Gene – a retired print and newspaper man – asked me to do some typographic work for him. He had several anecdotal quotes, both whimsical and inspirational, that he wanted to produce as gifts for friends and family members. I happily agreed to provide layouts suitable for both framing and bookmarks. The project was put on the back burner as my full-time job was taking up more and more of my free time. But Gene assured me there was no rush on his project.

An unseasonably warm stretch of weather in March of 2012 prompted much outdoor activity from those suffering from “Cabin Fever.” As part of his regular exercise routine, Gene went for a short walk. He did not take his coat or his cell phone, as he did not intend to be gone for very long. He had an early afternoon appointment to get his hair cut.

Early the next morning, my cell phone rang and I recognized the caller as Melody, a former coworker. “Cheryl,” she said, “Gene is missing.” My brain could not immediately comprehend her words. “Wait. What?” I asked, “What do you mean ‘missing’?” Mel explained she saw a brief news item about Gene on the early morning news. With bleary, sleepy eyes, I fumbled with my laptop, searching for any such news. In mere seconds, the “Missing Person” alert appeared on my monitor, confirming it was true. Gene was missing.

News reports indicated Gene had gone for a walk the day before and had not returned home. He was out in the elements overnight. I sent emails to my other colleagues to let them know what was happening and asked for any information they might have had. No one knew any details. “What should we do?” everyone asked.

I called Gene’s wife, Blanche. She told me Gene had missed his barber appointment. The police were searching all over the neighborhood and surrounding areas with helicopters and bloodhounds. Accompanied by friends, her sons were out looking for their father. “We are coming,” I told her.

I should mention here that three months prior to this event, my coworkers and I were part of a massive company downsizing. In the office we were there for each other – like family­ ‑‑ a tight-knit team. This day was no exception. Those of us who were looking for jobs, were now out looking for Gene.

My Mom and I drove to Blanche and Gene’s home, stopping along the way to show a photo of Gene to anyone who was walking along the street. In anticipation of finding him, we had a blanket, some granola bars and apples, and bottled water in the car. We occasionally crossed paths with the official rescue efforts, but took care not to get in the way.

Around mid-day, we gathered with other coworkers at Blanche and Gene’s home for a brief update on the organized search effort before heading out again.

As the afternoon wore on and the sun began to set on the day, the warm spell had broken and the temperature began to drop. I could not ask my Mom to stay out there much longer. As we drove home in silence, prayers intensified to drown out the unspoken fears that began to creep in with the evening shadows. I didn’t want to imagine the anxiety of uncertainty that dear Blanche was facing.

Once at home, I stared out the window, watching the shadows grow longer, praying and thinking. Among my thoughts, it occurred to me that Gene’s typography project was not complete.

Then, the miracle happened. The phone rang. Tina, my former editor was on the line, “Did you hear the news?” She heard from another source that Gene had been found! His son Tom found Gene, covered head to toe in mud, in the nearby woods, suffering from dehydration and hypothermia. He was in pretty bad shape. It was clear Gene would not have lasted another night in the elements. Prayers of praise and thanksgiving were raised.

For Gene, the rest of 2012 was a long, slow road of recovery. At some point, I emailed the first proofs of his project to him, hoping the work might be therapeutic in some way. I thought it might take his mind off his troubles, even if only for a few minutes. This time, the “no rush” order came from me.

Then in mid-January of 2013, a phone call came from Gene, ready to finalize the project we had started months earlier. He had specific tweaks of point sizes, additions of borders and horizontal rules. I could hear the joy in his voice as we “talked shop.” In a matter of minutes, the project was complete. We then chatted briefly about the progression of his health and his golf game. He inquired about my job search, and what I would be studying in school. “You know,” Gene said to me, “This one quote applies to you, too.”

A couple days later, an envelope arrived in the mail with a check, along with a hard copy printout of one of the bookmarks and a hand-written note from Gene, encouraging me to “Press On.”

After everything this lovely gentleman had been through, his simple concern for my own personal struggles touched me deeply. How can anyone NOT be inspired by a positive attitude such as that?

Inspired to “Press On” by the “Mud-Man.”

Making the Most of Linked In

I was not actively job-hunting in early 2009, when I registered with Linked In. There were some corporate trends indicating that my position might be in jeopardy, and that compelled me to join the professional online community. After the initial set up, my visits to my profile page were so infrequent that I had to change my password each time I logged in because I just could not remember it. At the end of 2011, my number came up in the downsizing lottery. I turned to the Linked In community for cyber comfort and I began to really examine what this networking tool had to offer.

A quick and easy read.

I started by reading Wayne Breitbarth’s popular book Power Formula for Linked In Success. I highly recommend this book for Linked In novices, as it will provide basic instruction for using this online professional profile tool. I would also recommend this book for people -- like me -- who were on Linked In for years but not utilizing it’s potential. I found several helpful tips within the pages that made my Linked In user experience more productive and enjoyable.

Here are a few things I’ve learned over the last year of active Linked In use:

Recommendations

The first thing I did when I began my job search was to ask my connections for recommendations. I received several “generic” critiques like, “Cheryl is a nice person” and “She is always cheerful.” While the sentiments are appreciated, they don’t speak to the quality of work done or the type of projects handled.

For those giving recommendations, I would advise addressing one specific instance when a coworker’s cheerfulness was appropriate in a stressful situation, maybe dealing with an upset customer or a tight deadline. If you can’t think of something off the top of your head, ask your colleague if there were anything specific they would like you to address.

For those seeking recommendations, you need to remember that not every colleague is a prolific writer and may have trouble articulating thoughts. Do not be afraid to offer a suggestion, such as: “Remember the time that (fill in the blank with a specific unexpected situation) came up? You and I worked together to resolve that situation. Could you comment on that?”

If there are typos, don’t be afraid to go back to your contact and ask for a rewrite. Accuracy and presentation will be beneficial to both of you in the long run.

Linked In recommendations should not be a “mutual admiration society” where users stroke each other’s egos. Plain and simple, they should be the honest evaluation of your coworkers’ skills and abilities that potential employers are looking for.

Connections

There are many “super-users” who have 500+ connections. Unless you are a high profile personality like Big Shoes Network founder, Jeff Carrigan -- a veritable cog in the job market machine -- you may not have a large number of connections to start, and that’s okay. Building a quality network takes time.

When it comes to professional connections, I prefer the “Quality Over Quantity” strategy.  It is helpful to consider whether the person requesting a connection with you is someone worth connecting with professionally. If they are a “screw up” or have unethical practices in an office setting, do you really want to be associated with that type of office personality? Thankfully, invitations to connect can be “ignored”… no questions asked.

Generally speaking, I don’t usually connect with people I don’t know. There have been some exceptions, though, when a commonality comes up within online groups. When requesting an online connection through Linked In, be specific as to why you want to connect. Telling someone you enjoyed a presentation they’d given is a good way to break the ice. Sharing a remembered experience of them that left a lasting impression on you is an excellent way to reintroduce yourself.

Choose the connections that will best compliment and honestly support your career goals.

Your Profile 

"Recognized!" for using the Linked In site.

A colleague offered an opinion of my Linked In postings. She was concerned that consistent updates of my job search activities were hurting my chances of getting interviews with other companies. Since Linked In is a “career” site, I had to respectfully disagree because my postings were definitely career-related.

It was my experience that most direct contacts were genuinely interested in my search. Members of online groups to which I belong drew inspiration from the shared experiences. Frequent postings were keeping my Linked In profile active.

The generic “Cheryl has updated her profile” announcement that goes out every time I make a small change, doesn’t do justice to the actual activity. Specific updates to career and job search activity show potential employers that neither are passive.

If you choose to post updates like this, keep in mind a few things:

• Don’t specifically name companies with which you are interviewing (unless you get the job!)
• Keep your comments positive (even if you feel you “crashed and burned” in an interview, keep it up beat!)
• Keep the update brief and relevant (if someone wants to know more, they will ask!)

Online Involvement

Finally, get involved in online discussions. Every person who’s ever been employed has a story to tell. It’s a great way to meet other people in your profession. If you agree with something that was written: “Like” it. If you have an opinion on a topic, share it. Oh, and one more thing: I'm a big fan of spell check. You have 15 minutes to update or correct your posting before it goes onto the network forever and ever, Amen.

Whether your Linked In profile is the hub of your online resume, or a supplementary entity that compliments your electronic job applications…it is YOUR profile. You have the power and the right to build, control and protect your own professional reputation. The time spent is worth the effort.

Inspired by professional networking.

A Day in the Print Shop

One of my favorite aspects about being in a creative office environment is the occasional opportunity to mentor student interns. When I take on an intern, I often reflect back on my own internship at a local newspaper.

Each day in the layout and production department presented a learning opportunity where every staff member was a potential teacher.  Everyone from the receptionist at the front desk to the advertising sales staff was willing to share experiences and offer advice. This type of open environment fostered a level of comfort that allowed me to ask questions.

Wanting to make the most of my short internship – a mere 5 months­ before graduating – I asked the manager of the printing department if I could shadow his staff for one day.

I loved going down to the print shop. It was the perfect mixture of sight, sound and smells. It reminded me of my happy high school days when my homeroom was located in the Graphic Arts classroom. There’s nothing like the smell of Bestine solvent in the morning!

From the “chunck-chunck” of the binders saddle-stitching staples into newsletters, to the “swish-swoosh” of the 2-color Ryobi press, the print shop was a cacophony of mechanical rhythm. Wafting above the distinct smell of fresh ink, and glues used for perfect binding and padding, was the aroma of the department manager’s blacker-than-black coffee brewing in his office.

Taped to the doors of a metal cabinet that housed envelope stock was a collection of small swatches of paper of varying weight and colors. Assuming it was a display of available paper stock, I inquired about the colorful mosaic. The pressmen called it their “Bug Collection.”

Thinking “Bug Collection” was some sort of press room terminology like “blanket” or “kiss,” I waded past paper-laden palettes for a closer look, and put my nose nearer to the swatches. ACK! I realized there were actual bugs squished on each and every piece of paper! The pressmen laughed as they explained how insects occasionally get embedded in the pulp when the paper is being manufactured and packaged. And you certainly could not let that go through to the client. You never know what type of industry trivia you will learn on the job!

Time was well spent with each press operator talking about the capabilities and limitations of the machine he/she worked with every day. I learned about different types of papers and saw first-hand how certain inks behave when applied. I began to better understand terms like “dot gain” and “registration”…words I’d only read about in books but never really applied during my on-campus coursework.

What was the most valuable lesson from that day in the print shop? Realizing that the work I produced did not end with me. Use of the proper tools, accurate technical set up, and the organizational quality of my digital files always affects the next person who has to handle the page or file after I am done with it. It is that collaborative effort that inspires me to be an efficient, conscientious layout artist and has made me a better designer overall, regardless of medium.

A Digital Blog Inspired by Print.