On the Fourth Day of Christmas

My true love gave to me Four Calling Birds. Tradition holds that the Four Calling Birds are also known as the Four Gospels of the New Testament – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The Gospels call us to follow our faith.

Today is more than the fourth day of Christmas. That is not to make light of the Gospels. Woven into the story of the birth of Jesus is the loss of precious babies. December 28th is the Feast of the Holy Innocents. It is to remember the massacre of young children in Bethlehem by King Herod the Great. Many are familiar with the story in Matthew 2:16-18.

¹⁶ Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.

¹⁷ Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,

¹⁸ In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

It is uncertain when the day was first kept as a Saint’s Day. It may have been celebrated with the Epiphany, but by the 5th Century, it was kept as a separate festival. While in many Roman Catholic countries, the day is celebrated as a day of merrymaking for children, in England up until the 17th century, the custom was to whip children in their beds in the morning so that they were reminded of the mournfulness of the day.

The best way to celebrate God’s precious gifts – our children – is to love them and make time for them. Children are amazing when you take the time to sit down and have a conversation with them. Kiddo once told me that the reason Santa knows what you want for Christmas even when you’ve never told anyone, is because God knows everything and Santa has God’s phone number.

One delicious way to have more time for our children is to make less of a mess in the kitchen. This one-skillet dish is perfect for family time.

One-Skillet Mushroom Pork and Potato Supper
6 boneless Pork Chops
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1/2 cup Flour
1 large Yellow Onion
5 medium Russet Potatoes
Cooking Spray
1 (10.75 oz) can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 soup can Chicken Stock
1/2 soup can Milk
1 small can Sliced Mushrooms
1 cup Frozen Peas

Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow pan. Dredge chops in flour, set aside until ready to cook.

Peel onion, chop and set aside. Peel potatoes, slice into thin rounds, place in a bowl and cover with cold water until ready to use.

Coat a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray and brown chops over medium-high heat.

Turn chops and add onions. Layer sliced potatoes on to of chops and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

In a bowl, combine soup, stock and milk. Pour soup mixture into skillet. Add more stock or milk if necessary to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium. Cover pan and cook until potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes.

Drain mushrooms, add to the skillet. Add peas. Cook 10 minutes longer or until heated through.

Serve and enjoy.