The Workings of Yeast

Yesterday, I decided to venture off into the bread, baking realm! I grabbed my packet of yeast, chose the most simplest of bread recipes, and began the first step of mixing the yeast with warm water. Upon that foaming up, I began adding the flour. After mixing it all up and then letting it rise for about an hour, I called Isaiah over to help me break it up into dinner roll, sized portions. He gladly accepted and was right into the messiness with me!

I let Isaiah put together his own dinner roll and put it in the small Euro Pro Convection Oven to bake on its own. Of course he was super excited to watch it rise and cook! The excitement grew even more as he got to take it out, smell it (ahhh, the smell of fresh, baked bread!), and begin eating it! His own hard work paying off!

It's in those little things, those moments that are so second nature to me - being in the kitchen to prepare a meal - that I must remind myself how to incorporate Isaiah into the process. He has such a desire to learn and grow and discover. As hard as it can be at times to slow down and explain things to him and even have him do things right along with me, the benefits greatly outweigh any possible hindrance. Hallelujah for times to teach and times to learn.

This morning, I found myself demanding my time with the LORD, in His Word. I literally had to tell Isaiah (Jeremiah has his best times of long contentment in the morning - this I am slowly learning to utilize more) that I was taking time for myself. He understood, though, challenging the circumstances once and awhile (absolutely love that about him and find myself encouraging him to be persistent and determined - without whining of course - in those moments of whining I explain to him how God does not like us to complain, but be thankful). I was also able to take time singing and playing the guitar - much needed time of worshiping. (I think I will find that very early in the day is going to be the best time for both of those. The demanding part will have to accompany it for awhile until the boys understand that each day will look that way.)

As I was in the Word, what did I come across in my reading but the portion of scripture when Jesus speaks of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees. "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees...he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching" (Matthew 16).

I looked up from the Bible, saw Isaiah and Jeremiah, and realized the sensitivity in which Jesus was speaking. Teaching, of any kind, is either going to bring about righteous thinking and action or it is going to bring about unrighteous thinking and action. Just as I have had to learn how to discern which is which, over the years, Isaiah and Jeremiah will have to do the same. Only, right now it is my responsibility, and my husbands, to give them right teaching. We have the responsibility of leading them down the straight and narrow, straight into the arms of their LORD. Paying attention to each detail of their habits and expressions and desires is vital right now. Letting simple things pass right by could potentially be just enough to grow into something much bigger - unrighteously speaking - just as Jesus was referring to when he said "be on guard". We, my husband and I, are their gate keepers, their filters (of course the Holy Spirit is greatly at work where we fall short) until they can do it themselves. And that, my friends, is a sobering reminder.

Hallelujah for God's amazing grace and mercy for us all, as we parent.