Daily Bread

When my children were all living at home I baked all of our bread.  Little Red Hen-like I ground the wheat etc.  Unlike her I didn't ask for help.  Sometimes a child would want to grind the wheat but mostly I just made it, baked it and we all ate it.  And enjoyed it!...I enjoyed the entire baking/making process and we all enjoyed the eating!

I had 3 Pullman pans (the original and not a copy cat.  heavy duty) that I just loved (if you can love a bread pan!) it was a rather $pendy pan but I used the life out of the 3 I had.  They had a lid that you slid on and therefore you had a square loaf of bread that was perfect for sandwiches.  I still have two of the pans sans lids!  Here is what they look like....


 
Mine were super size and probably the equivalent of 2 average loaves per pan. This bread would be gobbled up within a short amount of time. 

That is sort of how I've lived a lot of my life.  Falling into a routine (bread baking or whatever) or planning ahead on upcoming events and making plans that the base is covered and checking them off my list. In a way knowing what is coming down the pike. At least most of the time.

In the past if someone got sick then it was a focused quick recovery.  Health challenges now don't fall into that category.  they are unexpected when pain enters our life. Terry has had a rough 4 days and he alone has to bear it.  I can't do one single thing to help him and no one else can either.  He suffers.  (he is not dying!  he has neuralgia that comes and goes.) Pain stops and he recovers from sleeplessness.  He's up and doing again.

It takes a toll on both of us as I want to help him.  I can't take it away!  I want to.  He does not want our life to change.  He occasionally gets irritated with me if I feel to stay home with him as I do at times.  This morning we had a little tiff because I stayed home and didn't go to Stake Conference.  He was groggy-drugged and I wasn't comfy leaving him.  We kissed and made up (marriage still intact.  forgiveness granted!)  So he now snoozes on the couch and I feel good that I'm here as he recovers from this bout of pain challenge.  It exhausts us both!

Always new things to learn about balance in life.

The last few days I've come to realize that my life is no longer baking loaves of bread and knowing I have the bases covered in that area for a period of time...No longer living by baking multiple loaves of bread in dealing with family life.  I am now in the manna stage of life!  No longer 7 people under the roof.  Just the two of us!  

Finding myself feeling distraught and seeing depression looming from the distance, I really dug into the scriptures/Conference talks etc. etc.  I was reminded of the Lord's prayer and praying for daily bread.  and maybe it would be hourly bread!  minute by minute bite-sized rolls?

Manna.  No food.  Prayers.  Daily needs met.  rule...pick double to be prepared for Sabbath.  rule...no picky/no eatzy.  Pick what you needed and not a morsel more.  Selfish?  thinking you knew more and rules didn't apply to you?...uh, worms in the bowl! (me screaming!)

I need help 24/7!  If I feel the need of that much help then it makes sense that I wouldn't just ask for blanket coverage with the simplicity of one prayer to cover forever!  Praying for help, bit by bit, step by step, hour by hour will buoy and lift me above the fray of frazzlement  and set my little faith boat afloat.  ready for whatever comes.  Endeavoring to be Peter-like, keeping my eyes on the Savior.  (well, he only sunk when he took his eyes off of Him!)

Hum. read. sing.  Hymn #97....
Keep thou my feet:
I do not ask to see
The distant scene--
one step enough for me.

Life is a test and I know that.  the great thing is...it's Open Book!!

God is in His heaven and all CAN be right in my own little personal world.

here are a couple of things that I just loved reading and pondering.  I hope you do also.



watch 3 minute video here

Excellent talk given at BYU --
Recognizing God’s Hand in Our Daily Blessings by Elder D. Todd Christofferson  .... here

*************************************************

“HE HATH FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS”  JEFFREY R. HOLLAND  (NOV. 1997)

^{(NEED A REAL BOOST????  READ ENTIRE TALK!!  HERE   YOU CAN THANK ME LATER!!...)}

President George Q. Cannon said once: “No matter how serious the trial, how deep the distress, how great the affliction, [God] will never desert us. He never has, and He never will. He cannot do it. It is [against] His character [to do so]. He is an unchangeable being. … He will stand by us. We may pass through the fiery furnace; we may pass through deep waters; but we shall not be consumed nor overwhelmed. We shall emerge from all these trials and difficulties the better and the purer for them, if we only trust in our God and keep His commandments.”²²

Those who will receive the Lord Jesus Christ as the source of their salvation will always lie down in green pastures, no matter how barren and bleak the winter has been. And the waters of their refreshment will always be still waters, no matter how turbulent the storms of life. In walking His path of righteousness, our souls will be forever restored; and though that path may for us, as it did for Him, lead through the very valley of the shadow of death, yet we will fear no evil. The rod of His priesthood and the staff of His Spirit will always comfort us. And when we hunger and thirst in the effort, He will prepare a veritable feast before us, a table spread even in the presence of our enemies—contemporary enemies—which might include fear or family worries, sickness or personal sorrow of a hundred different kinds. In a crowning act of compassion at such a supper He anoints our head with oil and administers a blessing of strength to our soul. Our cup runneth over with His kindness, and our tears runneth over with joy. We weep to know that such goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our life, and that we will, if we desire it, dwell in the house of the Lord forever.²³

I pray this morning that all who are hungering and thirsting, and sometimes wandering, will hear this invitation from Him who is the Bread of Life, the Fountain of Living Water, the Good Shepherd of us all, the Son of God: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, … and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”²⁴