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It was Sunday, April 9. I already had a long and stressful week so this weekend was one I needed a good rest and good food. But that good food was nowhere in sight because I was on a really strict and tight budget. I woke up absolutely famished and looking all exhausted yet still had the motivation to carry out my task for the day without skipping any. 

I did not realize when my hungry soul and stomach got me out of bed to the kitchen. With the exhaustion I was feeling, cooking wasn't supposed to be a part of the plan but I didn't have the money to buy fast food. And I already knew that buying drinks and snacks with the little I had would be a bad idea. Since I will be very hungry after an hour with no money left nor the energy to cook anything. Little wonder how surprising it was that I found myself in the kitchen under those circumstances. 
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I knew I had no motivation to cook anything and that I would gladly opt for a different option if I had the means so I decided to boil white rice first. I had a feeling that the moment the rice starts boiling there will be no going back for me. I will definitely finish up the cooking and finally have something to eat. 

The food I had in mind was Jollof Rice but I didn't have all the ingredients especially enough vegetable oil for the frying of tomatoes and onions following the right method. I had oil, albeit, a drop that can only be enough to sprinkle upon my rice to give it a bit of a shiny look. So it wouldn't move any mountain enough to fry anything. While I boiled my rice and made my way to the sink to wash the plates I had overnight, I decided to prepare jollof Rice using the boiling method. 

This method required parboiling the rice, adding all of the ingredients I wanted when I bring the rice to boil and then adding the tomato paste towards the end to achieve the red coloring, and finally adding the oil; sprinkled for a shiny effect. The upside of this method is that I won't be able to fry the sour taste of my tomato paste off. Since I am boiling the paste, I would get everything as it comes and I will have no one to blame. 

I was prepared to eat it anyhow it comes because all I needed at this point was the energy to walk through all of my tasks for the day and get to sleep afterward. It was during the boring meal preparation that I heard a knock on the door. I looked through the window when I walked to the bedroom and saw my tiny friend. I called her name and told her to wait a bit while I get dressed. 
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Once I was dressed, I opened the door, and what I saw was breathtakingly surprising. She had a tray and a covered plate plus a drink. This had to be a miracle because once I opened the tray after thanking her and sending greetings to her mum, I saw a delightful-looking jollof rice with chicken and salad dressing. I was pleased and at the same time grateful that I wouldn't have to deal with my boring version of Jollof Rice for at least the next few hours. 

I did not know what they were celebrating, I was so out of touch with the world that I completely forgot it was Easter Sunday and Christ had resurrected on the day I was hoping to prepare a boring meal. It was only after I was done devouring that meal after I had lowered the light on my gas cylinder and filtered off the water from my rice that I went online and found my friends wishing everyone, "Happy Easter", that the purpose of the rice made sense to me. 

I did not want to blame myself for forgetting about this important celebration. I just silently praised for forgiveness because I knew in my heart of heart that God, and his son, whom we were celebrating understood the reasons for my absentmindedness. 

I am not making any excuse because it doesn't matter what it was I was going through I shouldn't have forgotten about the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. But I had a feeling God forgave my shortcoming and sent me a better looking food that morning as a sign of his unending love and faithfulness. 

PS: **All images are mine**

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