Leftover Chicken and Our Identity in Christ

Somehow, a stay at home mom of four has to find a way to draw God’s Word and leftover Rotisserie chicken into a blog post.  Multi-tasking.  It is what I do.  Asking the Lord to use everyday experiences to mold and transform me into His image, since those rare moments of me meditating and chewing on His Word are often interrupted by a diaper blow-out or a need to refill a cereal bowl.

The Lord has been graciously nudging me to freshen up on ways that I can build character in my children and little conversations like this nudge me all the more-

I lovingly set the buttery toast in front of her, smothered in homemade apricot preserves, “here you go, Darling Pie.”

“I not dar-pie!  I AUDREY GAIL.”

Steadfast, determined, certain of her identity.

Her brother is similar in his security, dare I say to him, “sorry charlie,” I will quickly be corrected that his name is Ryan McClaine.  Just in case I forgot.

I love it!  I so desire for my children to be secure, steadfast and unwavering in the identity that God gave them.  I want them to know in their heart of hearts what God has promised to be true of them.  I am praying that the Lord would continue to give me verses that show my children the promises that He has made for them.

When they grow, I want them to believe unequivocally who they are, lest some mean girl or dumb teenage boy, try to convince them otherwise.  I want them to know the manner of care and love that went into their very creation,

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together  in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,  I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained  for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.  Ps 139:13-16

I  also want to know how to take that rotisserie chicken from the deli, that graces our table once a week and then sits in our fridge for days, and make it into something good and edible.  And like any savvy, multi-tasking mom, I find a delightful parallel between Psalm 139 and a rotisserie chicken.  Or at least a common word.

Chicken Frame Soup

Stick your leftover rotisserie chicken in a big stock pot.
Fill with water until it just covers the chicken.
Throw in half an onion and a couple cloves of garlic- I don’t chop mine because
1) I don’t like to listen to my kids whine at dinner about onions
2)  I don’t like to listen to myself whine
about how stinky my hands are after I chop onion and garlic
Add a bay leaf and some coarse ground pepper.
Boil until chicken is tender
(or at least until it isn’t dry anymore after spending five nights in your fridge).
Then strain the broth into another big pot, pull the good chicken meat off, add to broth
and ditch that gross carcass.

Bring broth back to boil and add about 1/2 pound of penne pasta.
While it is cooking to al dente…

…rinse a can of Navy Beans and chop up a couple carrots, add those to the pot.
Then, when the noodles are done, turn the heat off and add a container of basil pesto
(I used an 8 oz. container, but it could have used more).

And add a couple handfuls of coarse chopped Kale or green of your choice.

Garnish with shaved parmesan cheese
(and I like mine with a squeeze of lemon juice and a dash of cayenne pepper).
Serve with crusty bread and butter.

As challenging as it is to tie leftover chicken and our identity in Christ together, I was so glad that I made this soup.  It served as a great “mom cure” for Avery and McClaine who fought the stomach flu this weekend.

Thanks for the recipe, mom!

Side note- during the flu season, I felt myself slightly uncompassionate toward those who had sick kids.  And then yesterday came, and with it, five loads of puke-covered clothes, sheets and towels, and hours of disinfecting.  So sorry to those of you who have endured this multiple times this year.

Author

What do you post about when you lose two loved ones in one week? With two friends losing earthly battles with cancer, and the tragedy in Haiti, the challenges of a housewife hardly seem worthy of a post.

The Great Author picks up His pen and jots words, circumstances ordained and beyond my understanding, used to eternally impact my faith.

He is the Author and finisher of my faith. And when earth suffers great loss as two great men meet their Maker, you want their impact to forever be etched in your heart.

My friend, Erin, along with two sons, saw the Lord answer prayers that her husband’s seven year battle with brain cancer would come to an end and that he would be healed. And he was… fully restored as he was ushered into Heaven on Wednesday, and now stands before the Lamb of God and gives praise for the healing that he received both physically and spiritually. I know that Erin mourns the loss of her husband, and would certainly have preferred he be healed on earth. But she rejoices because she is sure that he is now in heaven.

I was so challenged by his service on Saturday. The challenge to live life to the fullest, to be joyful and loving, and realize my abundance. The challenge to grow in my dependence on the Lord by spending time with Him daily. My prayer is that the Author would make this true of me, too, that it would be written into my character. In John 10:10 Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Though I fully realize that the only way that we can have eternal life is by believing in Christ, I often forget that He came that I might have life here on earth abundantly.

My cousin, John, also passed into eternity on Monday. My sentiments were so eloquently summarized by my Aunt Joni,

“John died peacefully after a valiant fight. All machines and medicines were disconnected, he took a last breath, and then John rode on angel wings to stand before the throne of God. Those of us who loved him prayed him over the Great Divide, both jealous and devastated as we stay behind.
Frederick Buechner calls people of God "connoisseurs of sorrow," for we are alive through the depth of Christ's suffering borne out of love for us. Today and for the foreseeable future, we wrap sadness around like a cloak. At the very same time, we are people of hope. Christ came to bring eternal life of abundant delight. To this promise we cling. O death, where is thy sting? Seems like everywhere we look at this moment. But a new tomorrow will dawn in which there is no sorrow or crying. For that day we wait.” -Joni Powers, Caring Bridge Site

I desire that my character in God’s great novel live each day here on earth with fullness and purpose. I want to glorify the Lord through every trial with joy and patience. My prayer is that when I breathe my last and enter eternity, that others would be touched by my life like these young men impacted mine.