Many of you reading this article may have heard of Mardi Gras, which is French for Fat Tuesday. This is a celebration or holiday season, which will run from November through Ash Wednesday, thus, also known as Shrove Tuesday, meaning the end of pre-Lent and the last day of their Carnival, known as Shrovetide, since it ends on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Lent typically is known for its fasting or abstaining from rich fatty foods, like eggs, dairy products, meats, and alcohol, by Christian believers, and lasts for forty days: therefore, they celebrate and indulge in all of these in excess before Lent. Thus, the name, ‘Fat Tuesday’ because everyone has overeaten so much leading up to their days of fasting. I personally feel that those with this mentality have missed the point. It is a good thing that Lent is known as a time of solemness and repentance.
This tradition dates back thousands of years, and stems from celebrations by pagans to the gods of fertility and spring. In Rome, religious leaders decided that all their local pagan traditions should be incorporated into the Christian faith when it came on the scene, because it was easier than trying to abolish them altogether. Mardi Gras has been passed down from medieval Europe, to Rome, to Venice, to the French House of Bourbons, which was a royal family in the 1700’s. The Le Moyne brothers then brought this with them to America as a French Catholic tradition, in the late 17th century. Pierre and Jean-Baptiste were sent to defend France’s claim on the Louisiana territory by King Louis XIV. The Louisiana territory included what we now know as Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, and part of Texas. Though we think of New Orleans when we say ‘Mardi Gras,’ Mobile, Alabama is said to be its birthplace in America, since Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Beinville founded the settlement in 1702 as the first Capital of the French Louisianian territory. The first organized Mardi Gras was celebrated by the French Settlers in Mobile in 1703. However, on his trek north, on March 3,1699, Le Moyne de Bienville named the place, which is close to what we now know as New Orleans, Mardi Gras Point, in honor of the holiday. His influence was great in the entire territory, being appointed as governor four times which spanned over forty-two years. Though Mardi Gras is most popular in Alabama and Louisiana, all Southerners get in on the festivities to varying degrees.
During Shrovetide having ‘pancake breakfasts’ quickly became a tradition among Western Christian congregations, with the underlying thought that they could use up the surplus eggs, butter, and milk that they would not be eating during the forty days of Lent. In keeping with this, the ‘King Cake’ comes on the scene. This is a cake with multi-colored icing, typically gold, green, and purples, made of brioche dough and can have a variety of fillings, like cream cheese, cinnamon, and chocolate, with sprinkles on top. The colors are said to represent royalty, and it is eaten from January 6th, ‘Kings Day’ through Fat Tuesday. Gold is said to be for power, purple for justice, and green represents faith. It is made in a similar shape of a bundt cake, with a small plastic baby figurine buried inside the batter. There are two theories of its meaning, from an internet source which are, “Some believe the plastic baby is symbolic of Baby Jesus because of the religious connection to King’s Day. Others, however, believe the popular New Orleans lore, which suggests that an elaborate cake was served with a bean or ring placed inside during the commemoration of the king’s ball in colonial Louisiana. Whoever found the bean or trinket in his or her slice of cake would be crowned the king or queen of the balls leading up to the lavish finale on Mardi Gras. The name is derived from the Three Wise Men in the Bible, who came bearing gifts for Baby Jesus on the Twelfth Night. King cake is first served on King’s Day (January 6) and can continue to be served through the eve of Mardi Gras to celebrate the coming of the three kings, as well as to honor them with a sweet homage to their jeweled crowns.” The name seems to be in keeping with the first theory, and the history that states the Romans began to mix pagan and Christian traditions, because it was easier. Finding the baby is said to represent luck and prosperity. The proof is literally in the pudding.
There is nothing new under the sun, and we can probably all attest to seeing more than once, a Romantic Comedy, possibly on the Hallmark channel, that involves the boy meeting girl, going through a series of dating, who end up hating each other, only to realize they have so much in common and they are falling in love. The boy wants to propose but does not want it to be like everyone else. He wants to make this a special and unique occasion, so he gets his friends in on the plans. He is going to take her out to her favorite elite romantic restaurant, and when it comes time for dessert, they will bring out the chocolate mousse, or something similar, and the engagement ring will be inside. She will find it in the pudding, he will propose, and they will live happily ever after. However, it does not always go smoothly, and she often ends up choking on it, or not wanting dessert, or ordering something else, because she does not like the choice he made. Then the scrambling to go to plan B begins. Yet they will always end with a kiss and ‘happily ever after’ when it is all said and done. The proof of his love is literally in the pudding.
If you are someone who enjoys cooking, not only are there recipe books to infinity and beyond, since the beginning of time, but we probably have recipe cards dating back to our great-great grandparents laying around as well. In addition to that, in the twentieth century because of modern technology, we have a multiplicity of television shows, short simple snippets, or long detailed clips on the internet, all devoted to cooking. These range from highly professional informative ‘how-to’ shows, to competitions, or just a home spun cook, showing their ‘live’ baking or cooking skills from their own kitchens, for the world to see. I have probably seen a few of each, but there are so many that I could not name them all. There is something for everyone’s pallet or taste. Pun intended.
The process of these shows will all be remarkably similar. Firstly, the person will reveal that they have this wonderful recipe that they got from, wherever, and give the significance it holds for them personally, and where they might have found it hidden on a random day. It could be something their grandmother always used to make, that brings back great memories, to something they saw a celebrity do just days ago that they want to try. They then give the promise that they will post it in the comments or on their website, for everyone watching. Secondly, once you have the recipe, you will need to conduct a shopping spree. This is often shared as well, or at least spoken of in depth. They will mention that you may have all the ingredients you need in your pantry already. This would be considered a win, win. However, they may be sponsored by a particular name brand flour, or vanilla extract, or oil company that they are having to plug. Or they just be emphasizing a specific item because this is what they have always used, and it is tried and true. The proof is in the pudding.
In the spirit of expediting things for the video clip, as they begin to mix the dry items and then add the wet ingredients, you will notice that they usually already have their portions measured out, which brings a question to mind, “Can you really know what name brand they are using if you don’t see the packaging?” It is a fact that our attention spans are becoming shorter and shorter the more technology we add to our day. We feel the need to have fourteen things going at one time, believing we can absorb and do justice to them all, which is impossible. If the videos get too long, people get bored, and do not even wait to see the result. The host of the show have their utensils and pans ready to go into the already preheated oven. They do a play by play narration of what to use, how much to use, when to use it and how, and will also put the recipe in the comments below their video, or they will encourage you to get a pen and paper in the beginning, so you can write it down. Pen and paper are almost an abandoned art and concept, so a link in the comments is always preferred. I used to work for the State, and we would receive the needed verifications we had requested from clients, to prove their circumstances, and the information from them would be written on scrap pieces of paper from who knows where, written with crayon, pencil, lipstick, or whatever else they could find, because people just do not keep paper and pens around much anymore. They may not be able to find something to write your phone number down when you call them even if their life depended on it.
The reason the hosts are wanting you to have the recipe for yourself, leads us to the third point. The person on the video is mixing their ingredients and enthusiastically giving you the directions in a precise and charismatic way as the dessert or meal begins to take shape before your eyes. Before you know it, they are popping it in the oven and saying now cook it for 40 minutes on 375 degrees Fahrenheit, or whatever the recipe calls for. They do not stand there and talk the entire time while the item is baking, but rather turn off the video and come back when it is done for the big reveal and pick up where they left off. By this time what they are presenting is looking wonderfully delicious. They show you the cooked product and begin to describe how it smells and then they get ready to do the taste test. They are oohing and aahing over it and using every adjective they know to describe grandma’s wonderful dessert, and their faces are lit up. However, there is a big problem and flaw in the equation, you, the viewer, cannot smell it nor can you taste it. You have no idea if it is indeed great or a flop, or whether you would like it or not. The only way that you will know if it is a hit or something tasty, is if you get the recipe, follow the instructions, do your own shopping, baking, and tasting. The proof is in the pudding!
My husband and I recently had a consultation with a lawyer to discuss the drawing up of a will. This is something that was long overdue, and one of those things people, including ourselves, keep putting off for another day, but we eventually got it done. This is highly recommended for everyone, especially those who have children, and it does offer a measure of peace of mind knowing that they will have a general direction in which to go, what to do, and how to manage our business affairs when we pass away. The Will also numerates each child as being our heirs, and what they will inherit, whether it has actual monetary value or just our junk with sentimental value, which allows the legal process to go much smoother. If you were to move to another country or State, or one of those numerated in your Will should pass away, a new or revised document would need to be drawn up to be legal. While we were there, the lawyer explained something to us which we have apparently misunderstood for a long time. We thought that the belongings, money, and property, etc., of anyone who did not have a will, would have to go through probate and it would be a huge, jumbled mess to get things sorted out, but if there was a will, probate would not be necessary; however, he stated that probate is part of the equation regardless of whether you have a will or not, but having a will can help eliminate the jumbled messy part that families often find themselves in. For those who also believed that misnomer, let me explain.
The dictionary definition of ‘probate’ is, “the action or process of proving before a competent judicial authority that a document offered for official recognition and registration as the last will and testament of a deceased person is genuine, broadly put: the process of administering an estate, the judicial determination of the validity of a will, the officially authenticated copy of a probated will, a court with jurisdiction over determination of the validity of wills and administration of estates and sometimes matters involving minors or adults judged incompetent : probate court filed a petition in probate, legal matters that fall under the jurisdiction of a probate court or to establish (a will) by probate as genuine and valid.” Our lawyer stated that everyone’s property and belongings, aka, their estate, should go into probate to make the process go more smoothly. The family would then need to go to the court hearing to prove their identity. They must prove that they are who they say they are, that they are listed in the Will as the heirs, and that the Will is indeed legal and valid. The trusty, rusty internet helps us out with the etymology of the word ‘probate,’ “The term “probate” comes from the Latin word “probatio” which means “to prove.” This refers to the many debates in court where different family members fight to prove their inheritance to a will. In early English courts, probate matters were proven in court before an ecclesiastical judge.” As we can further see, by extension, the word ‘probation’ has the same origin, but in this case, it is a time limit that a criminal has been given to ‘prove’ that he can and will abide by the law going forward. The proof is in the pudding.
A ‘will or testament’ according to Webster’s dictionary is, “a tangible proof or tribute, an expression of conviction, a creed, an act by which a person determines the disposition of his or her property after death, a will, either of two main divisions of the Bible, a covenant between God and the human race.” The synonyms are attestation, confirmation, corroboration, documentation, evidence, proof, substantiation, testimonial, validation, or witness. Romans 12:1-3 tells us, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” Paul is admonishing that it is incumbent upon each of us individually as we walk through this life, to ‘prove’ the will and testament aka the Word of God that has been presented to us. The proof is in the pudding.
We see in scripture two Wills or Testaments, being the New and the Old. Just reading that sentence should provide the description and the definition. When something has changed in your circumstance as aforementioned, a new Will must be drawn up to reflect the changes for it to be valid and legal. The owner of certain goods or property, the Testator, is attesting to the fact that these are his or hers, and that they will go to the ones numerated in the will when they die. For example, if you had a will drawn up when you were single and now you are married, things have changed, then children come on the scene, yet another change, then you acquire a home, a car, a boat, an RV and a large 401K account. You can see how things evolve.
The Old Testament is a powerful Will. God created humankind, they sinned which caused separation from Him, since He is Holy, thus the need for a Will and Testament. It described what had happened, what He had told them, how the people were reacting, what he was promising them if they acted in accordance and in obedience to His requests, and what would happen if they did not. The people of God, indeed saw these things that were written come to pass in their own lives. The proof was in the pudding. However, because time and life are dynamic and not static, things changed. The promises He had made, of giving humanity a second chance, began to happen. A child was born, whom we know now, because we have read the back of the book, was the promised Messiah and was named Jesus. Yet an even bigger change was that after only a short thirty-three and a half years of life, he died for us.
The Old Testament was fulfilled, because God had completed what he said he was going to do. I would be remiss to not acknowledge that we know Jesus rose again; however, circumstances had changed. Now he had a new family, a new job, and a new home in a new country; therefore, a New Will and Testament needed to be drawn up to reflect the changes, making it legal and valid once again. When this life or ours is over, and we come before the judge on that day in ‘probate court’, so to speak, we will have to provide proof of our identity, showing that we are His children, the one numerated in His Will, and bearers of His name to receive our inheritance. We were once the children of Abraham physically, but now we are spiritually as well. We were children of the first Adam, but now we are sons and daughters of the second Adam, Christ Jesus. The legalese can get complicated without a Will. The proof is in the pudding.
When we are born again of water and the Spirit, which is through repentance, baptism in His Name, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost as seen in John 3, Acts 2, 8,10,19 and more, we take on His name. Galatians 3:26-29 tells us, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Paul continues in Galatians 4:4-7, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” The Old Covenant, aka the Law, or the Will and Testament of God, was written on tables of stone, but the New Testament is written on tables of flesh, our hearts. 2 Corinthians 3:3 says, “…ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.”
When Paul stated in Romans 12:2, “… be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” He was not talking about three separate Wills, but he was letting us know that the Will and Testament that has been given to us, is valid and legal, it is good, acceptable, and perfect. David stated simply in Psalm 119:89, “Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.” The Word of God establishes everything we need to know about how we need to live and what we need to do to be saved. Philippians 2:12-13 tells us, “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” We just need to read His Word for ourselves, study it for ourselves, absorb it for ourselves, and obey it for ourselves. We are living proof of what God can do! The proof is in the pudding.