A Salute to Brave Hearted Super Heroes

I love the fact that both National Brave Heart Day and Super Hero Day are celebrated together. It is almost as though they were one and the same. In many respects, they are.

Brave Heart Day honors those families dealing with pediatric cancer. To call these people Brave Hearts is an understatement of the courage it takes to deal with the fears, the pain and stress they face every day. The real driving force behind Brave Heart Day is to spread the word that there is help available through a phone app called Spotlight Hope. Spotlight Hope can assist these families with things from financial assistance to transportation and emotional support. That’s just awesome in my book – real Super Heroes. Angels that walk among us.

And that brings us to the other reason to celebrate this day – Super Hero Day. Sure, we think of our first responders as Super Heroes – and they are. But sometimes a super hero can be the person next door who quietly does something that can change a single life for the better. You just might be that next special person who with a brave act of self-sacrifice that can make all the difference in the world. Super Heroes are not void of fear. The difference is that they do not allow their fears to paralyze their actions. Super Heroes respond because what is right takes priority over the risks, and in that sense a Super Hero will sacrifice self. It’s that sense of service to others that makes people become fire fighters, teachers, even garbage collectors. It’s not what you do to earn a living that defines you as a person, but rather what you do for others that is the true measure of worth. No greater love. That’s what defines a Super Hero.

Today is also Friday – a mini Good Friday for many – which seems even more approprate today. For Christ laid down His life that we might all live. Feel blessed, be thankful, give of yourself in kindness and love. Happy Friday Everyone!

Simple Tortellini Soup
1/2 cup Carrot Slices, cut into strips
3 Celery Ribs, thinly sliced
1/2 Yellow Onion, thinly sliced
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 tablespoons Butter
8 cups Chicken Stock
3 tablespoons Italian Seasoning or to taste
Garlic Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Chicken Bouillon Granules to taste
1 (19 oz) package Five-Cheese Tortellini

Stack carrot slices, cut into thin strips and set aside. Clean celery, trim ends, slice into thin half-moon slices, set aside. Cut onion in half from root to tip. Reserve half for another purpose. Cut remaining half in half again widthwise, then cut into thin slivers. Break apart, set aside. Peel garlic, finely mince and set aside.

Heat a Dutch Over or stock pot over medium heat. Melt butter, swirl to coat the bottom of the pot. Add carrots, celery and onions. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender and onions just beginning to turn golden. Add the garlic, cook for 1 minute.

Add stock, bring to a rolling boil. Season the pot with Italian Seasoning, Garlic Salt and Pepper. Let boil for 10 minutes, taste and adjust seasoning as with the addition of Bouillon Granules for deeper flavor. Stir in tortellini, cook for about 4 minutes or until the tortellini is cooked through and mostly floating on the top.

Ladle into bowl, serve and enjoy.

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Give praise to the Lord, for He is good; His mercy endures forever