Yeast Really Does Permeate

I love to bake, but I seldom have to buy yeast. For years, I have made white bread, wheat bread, biscuits, pancakes, cakes, cinnamon rolls, pizza dough and other variations of breads from two different sourdough starters that I obtained years ago. One I have had for over thirty years, the other for over twenty.

Although I have recipes for and a mix for sourdough starter, I have never made one up. I have kept mine around for so long that if my friends and family run out or let theirs go bad, they always know they can come back to me for another one.

I didn't make the starters, but someone had to. The recipe I have for what some people call Herman or a starter for Amish friendship bread calls for flour, water and yeast. To keep it alive, you must add milk, flour and sugar. The other starter I have is maintained with potato flakes, sugar and water, but at some point in the past the starter was made with yeast.

I have often thought of the lasting quality of the yeast that began this somewhat magical process. As long as I continue to feed these sourdough starters every week or so, they will probably last as long as I do. The yeast that helped birth these products still permeates the dough that I mix up so that I can continue to enjoy baking with them. That is amazing to me.

Just as amazing, or really more so, is the realization that the kingdom of heaven will never be destroyed. I know that is true because God created it for His glory and for our enjoyment. What He did so long ago will last forever. His presence permeates all creation. He invites us to join Him in His kingdom by accepting His gift of grace through His Son, Jesus Christ.

He spoke another parable to them, "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened" (Matthew 13:33). Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst....I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh" (John 6:35, 51).

Traffic Tension

I have spent a lot of time on the U.S. interstates as well as autobahns in Europe. All of these public highways have something in common - there is a possibility for congestion and danger. Caution should be observed at all times.

Driving on any road demands full attention, but especially in heavy traffic on major highways. Seldom do you find yourself on a highway by yourself. There are times when you are completely surrounded. You must be aware of the speed and position of cars around you. If any one of them makes a sudden unexpected move, you must be prepared. There is literally danger on every side.

Vigilance is the key. Everyone knows accidents are most likely when you are sleepy or otherwise impaired because your concentration level is not at its optimum.

The question we need to pose to ourselves in heavy traffic is what can I do to get out of a dangerous situation if it presents itself? Driving is no time to relax and become preoccupied with other things such as cell phones. I once ran off the road simply because I was placing a blanket on my child in the seat next to me (that was before children's car seats were required to be placed in the back). Thankfully, I did not have an accident, but taking my mind off my driving posed a danger to myself and my children.

Staying in the lane provided for you is a must. I am often tempted to keep my eyes fixed on the car in front of me but have often been surprised by the movement of a car on either side or behind. Using the rear view mirror and the side mirrors should become a habit.

Our spiritual life is a lot like highway driving. As soon as we allow ourselves to become distracted from the path God has set us on, danger lurks all around us. Satan is actually watching for those times when we have relaxed our guard. He knows that if we veer off our path, his job is much easier. God, however, has given us all we need to stay where we need to be.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Psalm 119:105). But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).

The Value of a Smile

There are many good poems, songs and stories with a notation "author unknown." At some point, these artists shared part of themselves but did not think it necessary to leave their signature on their work. I often spend quite a bit of time researching to make sure an anonymous item does not have a name attached to it, but in the following case of a poem which I am sure many of you have read and benefited by, I found no name. So thanks to the unknown author who brightened my day - and hopefully yours as well.

A Smile

A smile costs nothing, but gives much.

It takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever.

None is so rich or mighty that he can get along without it.

And none is so poor but that he can be made rich by it.

A smile creates happiness in the home,

fosters good will in business and is the best countersign of friendship.

It brings rest to the weary, cheer to the discouraged, sunshine to the sad,

and it is natures' best antidote for trouble.

Yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen, 

for it is something that is of no value to anyone until it is given away.

Some people are too tired to give you a smile.

Give them one of yours as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give.

We touch each other with our smiles. That is the way God made us.

A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance (Proverbs 15:13).

Dormant Damage

A few years ago, we purchased a beautiful antique dining table in Germany. It had been obtained from a farmer in southern Germany, transported up to northern Germany where it was completely disassembled and refinished. I had never seen a more beautiful dining table and chairs. It was immediately put in a container headed for the states as we were moving belongings back to the U.S. from a lengthy stay in Germany.

Several years later, I noticed dustings under some of the chairs. I shrugged it off as we had just had all the family - including grandchildren - in our house and thought what I was seeing were crumbs from the table. Upon closer inspection when I was polishing the chairs, however, I discovered holes throughout the wood on several of the chairs. What we had was an infestation of wood bores which had lain dormant all that time and now were making their way through that lovely wood.

After much labor (and cost, I might add), we finally got the problem licked. However, much to my dismay after quite a bit more time passed, I found the remaining chairs with those telltale holes. We are going to have to go through this procedure all over again. What I thought had been resolved now has to be dealt with once more - what a shame.

Irritations, guilt, bitterness and other stress causing situations in our lives can have some very similar effects. Like these wood bores, some things eat at our insides for years without our even realizing it. They may go unrecognized, but they are just as real as my wood bores. By the time they surface, often the damage is done.

I suppose the only remedy is to stay on top of our feelings and give them over to God right at the beginning of the uncomfortable event. God tells us to put away those things that are hurtful. We will certainly deal with them at some point. It is better to deal with them early on than to wait until damage is done and repairs have to be made.

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice (Ephesians 4:30-31). Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation (1 Peter 2:1-2).