This past holiday season was a whirlwind of activity including get-togethers with family and friends, shopping, wrapping presents, household chores, picking up groceries, and, of course, exercising and cooking wholesome foods. I decided I would roast a turkey instead of having drive-through meals which had a minimum of protein and a maximum of fat in them. Does a McDonald’s hamburger really count as protein? Even the flame-broiled Wendy’s or Burger King burgers seem to be more like burger-food than protein to me. I wanted help our family eat a little bit better these past couple weeks. The thawing turkey was in the fridge, ready to be stuffed and cooked for our family. The problem: when can I cook it? The 15 pound bird required a good 4-5 hours of oven time which meant I needed to be home for 4-5 hours straight.
This time commitment reminded me again of the “Be still and know that I am God…” scripture reference that is so familiar yet so evasive. The stillness is the gift I received just because I had to cook a turkey. The stillness results in the calming peace I feel when I choose to take those quiet minutes, or hours, to reflect and meditate.
My protein dilemma was solved with a sudden snowstorm in our area a couple weeks ago which resulted in a roasting turkey while snowflakes covered everything outside in blinding whiteness. Have you ever stood outside in a pile of snow just after a snowstorm? The tangible stillness inspired me to take a breath and squint through the sparkling whiteness in search of the true meaning of Christmas…God’s love for me. What a gift.
Striving to increase my faith each day, a little at a time, and lose the things that weigh me down.
