Peace in My Workplace: Day 15 OBS

Welcome to the Friday Fun edition of the Christmas Peace for Busy Moms online Bible study, where we’ll talk about being a peacemaker in the workplace. I also have a recipe to share with you today.

Please refer to Day 15 of Christmas Peace for Busy Moms for the following discussion.

Peace in My Workplace

Recently I’ve experienced a few work situations which threaten to destroy my peace.  Even though I can’t control these situations, I can control my attitude and focus.  Here are the steps I’m taking:

• I use physical action to release tension. During a frustrating moment, I literally feel adrenaline coursing through my body.  It doesn’t dissipate by sitting still.  So I take a short walk around the building to release negative energy.  At the end of my walk I visit the bathroom and cup my hands over my face, creating a dark space that blocks everything out for a moment and focuses my attention on deep breathing.  These techniques restore my physical peace.
• I set scripture in front of me. At my job, it’s perfectly acceptable to pull up biblegateway.com for a moment and search for verses on peace.  Simply reading these verses gives me peaceful perspective and sets my heart right.
• I shoot up arrow prayers. In the moments I’m tempted to obliterate peace by lashing out, I simply pray, “Lord, help me!”  This reminds me God is present with me in my challenges and cares how I handle them.  I have also asked coworkers to pray for me.  This helps me not feel so alone and unprepared when tense moments arise.

If You Work at Home

I know many of you reading aren’t employed outside the home.  I was a work-from-home mom for nine years, and I understand the temptations and frustrations exist whether you work outside your home or inside your home, especially if you have little ones.

When I was a stay-at-home mom, the bathroom was my hiding place.  When my children were little, potty training is the area I struggled with the most.  I think my children were a little slow to catch on because they were so immersed in their own imagination worlds.  Accidents abounded, and my impatience reached a boiling point.  I didn’t want to lash out at my precious children, so I retreated to my bathroom (which I found ironic) for a few moments of deep breathing, arrow prayers, and refocused perspective.

Whatever our work is, we must have a peace-seeking strategy for high-pressure moments.

The Bible tells us our work is not going to be easy but our work matters greatly to the Lord.  I am working as if God himself was in charge, and because I want to please him, I want to be a peacemaker at work.

Questions for you:

How can you use the peace-saving techniques above in your work environment, whether you are a stay-at-home mom, a work-from-home mom, or working outside the home?

How can you serve as an ambassador for the Prince of Peace in your vocation (your current calling for God’s service)?

Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Sarah’s Christmas Salad

I used to enjoy a similar salad at The Pasta House Company when I was a teenager.  Since the restaurant has closed in my area, I have made a lightened and more nutritious version of my own.  The red and green colors are so festive, and the sweet homemade dressing tones down the tangy artichokes.

• One 14 oz. can artichoke hearts
• One 4 oz. jar diced pimientos
• Half of one red onion, sliced from root to tip into thin crescent shapes
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt (we use Penzey’s 4S, a must-have in our home!)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and more for topping
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• One bag prewashed baby spinach
• One bag prewashed, chopped romaine hearts (or prepare your own)
• Sliced kalamata or black olives, if desired
• Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Drain artichoke hearts and chop into bite-sized pieces.   Refrigerate until ready to use.  Place jar of pimientos in refrigerator also.

Pour vinegar into microwave-safe bowl (must be large enough to hold dressing and onions together).  Microwave about 1 minute until heated through.  Whisk in about 1/4 cup sugar until dissolved; sample, and add more sugar to taste.  Add seasoned salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning; sample, and add more seasoning to taste.  Place sliced onions in dressing mixture and toss to coat.  Cover and let sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes; this pickles the onions and removes their sharpness.

Want more holiday recipes?  You may like my festive strawberry drink and my pastrami cheese ball.

Please head over to Day 16 now to learn about creating a peaceful atmosphere in your home.

Our theme verse for this week:

Find the printable Bedside Reminder Card of this verse here.

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