Pressing my palms deep into the ball of dough on my kitchen table, I thought for sure that I had messed up somewhere along the way. My dough felt floury in some spots and too sticky in others. How long would I have to knead until it was smooth and elastic? My friend and instructor who taught me to make bread had said I couldn't knead too much, so only choice I had was to keep going.
Push down, spread it out, fold it over. Press down, spread out, and fold it over. Again and again I worked that lump on my table. All the while, my 9-month-old daughter wandered around the kitchen in her walker, exploring the contents of my towel drawer and cabinets. Just when I thought I would never have a workable lump of dough, it smoothed out. I was amazed. I placed it in a well-oiled bowl and covered it. I set it aside to rise, and an hour or so later, it had doubled. I baked it, and my husband and I ate homemade bread that evening. "I thought for sure I was doing something wrong," I told him, "but all I needed to do was keep kneading."
Jump forward ten years. There I was walking and slugging down bottle after bottle of water. Sure didn't seem like I was losing weight. Then, one day, the scales gave me a reading I hadn't expected. All I had to do was keep walking. Some days during our homeschool, I wonder if I'm doing the right thing. Will spending this much time on math pay off? Will they ever get this particular concept? Will I ever see results? That is when a still, small voice whispers, "Remember the bread. remember the walking. Keep kneading. Keep walking. At a time when you least expect it, you will see results."
This advice isn't something I remember all the time. Often I get bogged down and forget it. I need reminding, just like everyone else. Whenever the dough feels to floury, the walking seems to hard, the math so difficult, the mountain too steep, just keep pushing.
Maybe, you didn't need this message today, but I sure do. Life can be rough, situations can get so out of hand that I think I can't deal with it unless I have a bowl of ice cream to hand. That, my friend is when I need reminding just who I'm living for. The Bible says "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Philippians 4:13 KJV. It doesn't mean I can do most things, or things folks expect. It doesn't mean only things a blind person can do. Nope, it says all things and means all things. And, God's Word is what I base my life on.
So, with all that said, here I go. Time to figure out what's for supper. Time to leave today and it's trials in the hands of my Lord and trust that He will work all things out for my good. Y'all be blessed, and remember God's love for you is deeper than the oceans, higher than the skies, brighter than the sun, sweeter than honey, as wide as the East is from the West and better than anything you can imagine.
Push down, spread it out, fold it over. Press down, spread out, and fold it over. Again and again I worked that lump on my table. All the while, my 9-month-old daughter wandered around the kitchen in her walker, exploring the contents of my towel drawer and cabinets. Just when I thought I would never have a workable lump of dough, it smoothed out. I was amazed. I placed it in a well-oiled bowl and covered it. I set it aside to rise, and an hour or so later, it had doubled. I baked it, and my husband and I ate homemade bread that evening. "I thought for sure I was doing something wrong," I told him, "but all I needed to do was keep kneading."
Jump forward ten years. There I was walking and slugging down bottle after bottle of water. Sure didn't seem like I was losing weight. Then, one day, the scales gave me a reading I hadn't expected. All I had to do was keep walking. Some days during our homeschool, I wonder if I'm doing the right thing. Will spending this much time on math pay off? Will they ever get this particular concept? Will I ever see results? That is when a still, small voice whispers, "Remember the bread. remember the walking. Keep kneading. Keep walking. At a time when you least expect it, you will see results."
This advice isn't something I remember all the time. Often I get bogged down and forget it. I need reminding, just like everyone else. Whenever the dough feels to floury, the walking seems to hard, the math so difficult, the mountain too steep, just keep pushing.
Maybe, you didn't need this message today, but I sure do. Life can be rough, situations can get so out of hand that I think I can't deal with it unless I have a bowl of ice cream to hand. That, my friend is when I need reminding just who I'm living for. The Bible says "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Philippians 4:13 KJV. It doesn't mean I can do most things, or things folks expect. It doesn't mean only things a blind person can do. Nope, it says all things and means all things. And, God's Word is what I base my life on.
So, with all that said, here I go. Time to figure out what's for supper. Time to leave today and it's trials in the hands of my Lord and trust that He will work all things out for my good. Y'all be blessed, and remember God's love for you is deeper than the oceans, higher than the skies, brighter than the sun, sweeter than honey, as wide as the East is from the West and better than anything you can imagine.
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