Bread & Body-building

I may have found something that can strengthen my upper body without increasing pain.  It doesn’t require a doctor’s order or the approval of the insurance company.  (3 cheers for that!)  I don’t have to sit in a car or drive on snowy roads.  (And 3 cheers for that as well!)  All I need is some flour, yeast, and water, and then time afterwards for a nap.  Yesterday I was reminded that kneading bread dough can be very therapeutic.

I haven’t baked bread in over 3 years.  It’s something I tend to do in cycles, and perhaps I am in another cycle.  As I smelled the foamy yeast and then the sweet bread dough, memories of past bread baking experiences filled my head and heart ~

Perhaps the joy of baking bread began in my Youth Group.   We had Bake-a-thons for fund raisers.  Members of the church ordered loaves of bread and we spent the afternoon, night and morning baking away.  Every corner of the church was filled with the aroma of fresh baked bread.  Yummm…..

There was the making bread as part of a Sunday worship service I led in a camp setting.  Members helped knead the dough as we offered our prayers together.   And then we had bread fresh from the oven (a separate dough started earlier) for Communion, served by Intinction, offered to each member as she or he was called by name.  Later that day our dog Hershey ate the 2 1/2 loaves worth of raw bread dough; it had seemed too sacred to just throw away after many hands had kneaded  and prayed it so I put it in the compost pile.   A call to the vet followed by a few teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide took care of that problem.  Guess Hershey wanted to “taste and see that the Lord is good!”  He tasted, and we saw his bloated abdomen.

A confirmation class of 5 young men gathered one Saturday morning to bake bread for the next day’s worship service.  We measured and kneaded and talked about our gifts, about yeast, and about serving others.   Some of them had never touched bread dough.  But during the service the next day I overheard one say, “I helped bake the bread.” 

One summer I attended a class about the “Bread of Life.”  It was hardly a stuffy class ~ rather it delicious!  Each class period started by making a different type of bread dough, then Christopher talked with us about hospitality and justice as related to bread in the first century.  Later that summer our family had lots of homemade bread.

And there’s the regular times, centered around nothing in particular, when I’ve baked bread.  And in the measuring, and kneading, and waiting, I have heard and felt the presence of God.  Providing what I need.  Working in and through my life.  Offering me the opportunity to wait and allow thyme to take its natural course.

All of this measuring, kneading, and waiting happened yesterday while I made the bread.  And, my upper back and arms had a really good workout!  And, the love of the season expanded within my heart as I shared a loaf of Challah with my friend who is celebrating Hanukkah.

                    

Thank you Holy One, for kneading me with the mystery and joy of Your love this season and always.                      ~ The Alchemist