St. Patrick’s Day has always been a favorite of mine. Wearing green, sipping a Guinness, and sharing a traditional Irish meal with the family. It’s all fun, but what is the day really about?
March 17this a day that we remember the remarkable St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, who actually had good reason to despise the Irish.
This is a story of a 16-year-old boy taken by Irish pirates from his family in Britain around 387 AD. They brought him to Ireland as a slave, and it was 6 years before he was able to escape. You would expect him to be filled with vengeance; instead, the solace he found in God during his enslavement filled him with passion for the Irish. He never lost sight of his dream – to return to Ireland to share his joy in the Christian faith.
Returning to Ireland in his fifties – old age by the standards of the time – he experienced arrests and death threats. However, he was not deterred. He continued with his simple message of love, converting Kings and baptizing whole clans. His efforts resulted in ridding Ireland of slavery and human sacrifice, as well as establishing churches and schools.
As we wear green in honor of St. Patrick, let’s reflect on the “Power of One.” One man faced with insurmountable obstacles, who swayed an entire nation with his humility, perseverance, compassion and undying faith.
A life of significance comes from a life of giving. We can all make a difference in our own little corner of the world by practicing a life of giving as St. Patrick did. And it starts with those closest to you: family, co-workers and friends. So let’s start by coming together and sharing a traditional Irish meal in honor of St. Patrick!
This is what I will be preparing for my family (click the recipe name to download):
Irish Corned Beef, Cabbage and Vegetable Dinner
Spinach and Pear salad with Maple vinaigrette
Gluten-Free Lime and Coconut Bars
Of course, the Fit Foodie in me will start my day with my Green Lemonade before indulging in a Guinness or Irish whiskey 🙂 Did you know that dark beers, like Guinness, have more minerals over refined, lighter-colored varieties? Plus, the carbohydrates in dark beers are absorbed more slowly into the bloodstream so they have less of an unsettling effect on your blood sugar level.
Good news, huh? So feel good about sipping your Guinness 🙂