Nichole Fogleman
Family Devotions For the Holidays
Advent Day 4
Today’s Reading: Lamentations 3:22-26
Continuing in the old testament, our reading is from Lamentations, written by the prophet Jeremiah. As Isaiah feared, his countrymen were vulnerable; vulnerable to other kingdoms, vulnerable to exile. These words scribed by Jeremiah were written after the destruction of Jerusalem and the beginning of the great Exile to Babylon. He never forgot of God’s loving faithfulness and mercy.
”The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
therefore I will hope in him.”
The promise that God’s mercies are afresh each morning speaks to my heart this morning. I went to sleep sad as a dear friend succumbed to drug addiction on Monday. She lost her job, her reputation to the perils of emotional pain. She has lived in exile, total emotional hell after losing her son several years ago. This morning as I pray for her I can only lift her up and pray for mercies for her soul. She has fallen in the pit of destruction, just as Jeremiah’s and Isaiah’s Kinmen did. But those prophets of old continued to pray for their friend’s afflictions. Now it’s time for her to see and feel the Lord’s inheritance, to lift her soul and see his mercies afresh in the morning.
Who can you lift up in prayer today who needs God’s mercies?
Nativity Fast
Collard Greens a truly southern comfort food, ripe in the crisp change of seasons, seasoned with smoky flavors. Elements of taste and smell are well associated with meat with this green leaf, but I hope to change your perception of this green leafy cruciferous vegetable. What is the history that brought a person to combine this leaf with meat from a pig? Today I’m here to share a secret. You can eat this spiny leaf, tear its crips leaves from its branch ,and enjoy it without a touch of flesh.
Here’s the secret, a spice from my home town, marketed as a perfect addition to sausage, but in truth it’s a blend of salt, red pepper, sage, sugar, and black pepper. Collards are truly a favorite of mine, brining back memories of my mom making a gigantic pot just for me to eat for dinner during the holidays and enough to take home for left overs. A winter without them would not be complete. Try the following recipe and fool those friends from the mason dixie line.
Collard Greens Au Natural
Ingredients:
1 bunch of collard greens
1/4 cup water – may need to add more if using stovetop
1 Tbsp – Legg’s Old Plantation Pork Sausage Seasoning
1 Tbsp white vinegar
This recipe an instapot is used, but the stovetop is fine, just cook a little longer.
Take the greens, tear the leaves away from the center stem. Use the entire bunch, they will cook down. Cook on high mode for 8 min. When the buzzer rings, allow the steam to release. Serve, but don’t forget to add the 1 Tbs of vinegar. Collards are not complete without the vinegar, making it a true southern experience.
