Prayer prompts for Sunday & Monday, Dec. 25-26

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Merry day-after Christmas! I hope you all had meaningful celebrations with friends and loved ones nearby and are showered with blessings in the new year. We’ve had a nice time of celebrating Christmas with extended family, church family and each other, but there’s just something about this special time of year that seems to shine a spotlight on the vacant seats.

I went to Hobby Lobby with my mom the other day, and practically every aisle of knickknacks reminded us of her best friend – lost to cancer. Seeing the kids in all of their hyped-up, sugar-and-anticipation-filled, bouncing-off-the-walls boyhood couldn’t help but remind me of my brother. Worshiping amidst candlelight on Christmas Eve filled my heart with wonder about the reunion that we’ll have someday in Glory.

My heart has been torn in 14,000 directions this week, so bear with me if I seem a bit melancholy.

Since I’m a day behind, here are the posts for yesterday and today:

(Sunday) Even if you have to lock yourself in the restroom, find a moment today to be truly alone with God. Thank him for Christmas & what it means.

(Monday) After all the holiday food, today may be the biggest “leftovers” day of the year. Does God get your leftovers, or are you putting him 1st?

The choice is yours (Prayer devotional for the week of Dec. 25)

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There are numerous lovely works of art on the shelves of any Christian bookstore. Inspirational sayings and excerpts from Scripture are embossed across peaceful-looking paintings. One of the frequent verses that I’ve noticed comes from Joshua 24:15, and what is usually printed reads: “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” What does that really mean, though? In addition, what is the context of the verse? (<<By the way, those are two good questions to ask yourself & research anytime you see a verse isolated by itself.)

Joshua 24 starts out with the leader of Israel (Joshua, the one who succeeded Moses) calling together the tribes of Israel for a stern talking-to about how they have repeatedly shown disrespect to God. Joshua reminded the people about the miracles that the Lord performed concerning Abraham and Isaac, the incredible way he delivered them from slavery during Moses’ tenure, not to mention the numerous battles that God intervened in to help the Israelites overcome their enemies.

The people had forgotten (yet again) about God’s faithfulness. Joshua called them out and said that if serving the Lord—really, truly serving him wholeheartedly—was too much to ask, then they needed to turn away and make their homes among the foreigners. That’s when he said the famous line; Joshua reiterated that he and his family would choose to follow the one true God.

We may not be facing plagues of locusts or waging war against the Amorites, but we, too, have a choice. Will we worship the Christ of Christmas just during this season, or will we conscientiously choose to follow him tomorrow, and the next day, and next week, and next month, and years from now? Will we turn our backs and pretend to not remember the many, many blessings he has given us, or will we be like Joshua and stand up to the world in His name? The choice is ours.

Foodie Friday: Low-carb salmon patties

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I was scrounging around the pantry to find something to fix myself for dinner (the boys had pot pies — one of their favorite & easy-to-fix quick dinners), and I found a can of pink salmon. I decided to mix it with flax seed meal, dill relish, spicy brown mustard, pepper and an herb seasoning mix that I got in the bulk aisle at the grocery store.

I wasn’t sure it would hold together very well without egg (and I was totally out of eggs), but I was pleased! One can of pink salmon made six patties. I pan-fried them in a skillet with cooking oil spray.

Salmon has zero carbs, and the seasonings are nominal, if any. The dill relish has about 1 g carb per Tbsp, and I used about 1/4 c for the whole batch. So, all in all, this was an extremely low-carb and delicious dinner!

I ate a couple of patties plain, because I wasn’t very hungry, but any number of side dishes would go well with salmon.

Wednesday Words: A letter to the wind

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I visited my brother’s grave as I was on my way home from spending a couple of days with a dear friend–some much-needed “me” time. I just sat on the ground and wrote him a note. To be honest, I don’t usually like going to cemeteries. They make me sad and remind me of loss and decay. I was by myself on this trip, though, and I wasn’t on a tight travel schedule, like we usually are on road trips, so I decided to stop and sit for a while. This is what I wrote:

I came here to talk to you–well, not converse with you, I suppose–just to get some thoughts out of my heavy heart and burdened mind–

and place them upon the wind.

I think about you often.

I set up your stocking again this year–off to the side in a place of honor–

just to remember.

I wish I could remember every Christmas we spent together–from your first one in Germany (I’m sure there was snow, but I wouldn’t know) to the last one three winters ago. I wish I could remember every gift we exchanged. I remember the year I gave you a pocket knife and whetting stone; you really seemed to like it. Of course, I remember the year we got out much-coveted Cabbage Patch Dolls … and the few years later when you put it away because big boys don’t play with dolls. 🙂  I remember the can of Fix-a-flat that you gave me when I had so many car problems. And the jewelry box that I still use to this day.

I was going to write a poem for you, but really, I just want to talk.

Sometimes, I just need to hear your voice.