When I was little, I loved baking bread. I even made the recipe myself for everyone to try, much to the dismay of my family. (That included yogurt, fruit chunks, and other things I found in the fridge…sorry, sorry!)
After almost 20 years and having moved my entire life to a brand new state (again), I started looking for small ways to find peace in the chaos. I was looking for something that would make me feel productive, but also let me de-stress and clear my head a bit. Now that she’s old enough to properly follow a pre-written recipe, I’m thinking of giving bread baking another try. And I loved it! I started baking cakes, scones, bread, etc. Baking is a way for me to relieve stress, but it also serves as a teacher.
I’ve been in the kitchen for almost a year. During this time, there are some life lessons that God has allowed me to discover through baking.
1. A little powdered sugar goes a long way
Dear reader, I don’t know if you’ve ever tried making cream cheese frosting, but let me tell you, it’s not always that simple. For experienced bakers like my grandmother, the recipes are burned into their brains and they can probably make a batch even with their eyes closed. But for new bakers, the powdery, sweet airborne dirt can be very damaging.
But one of the most important things to know about powdered sugar is that a little goes a long way. Just a few sips and you’ll have the sweetest icing you’ve ever tasted. The same goes for our words. Proverbs teaches that “kind words are like honey” (Proverbs 16:12) and “death and life depend on the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21). Did that stick with you? Kind words are the equivalent of a substance that sweetens a snack or soothes a sore throat, and are also known to have the effect of energizing you when you’re tired. Kind words make people kinder, calm them down, and give them energy. Just like powdered sugar, a little goes a long way. A kind word to a stranger could be exactly what that person needs to keep moving forward.
2. You can always add more, but never less
One time, while making icing (again), I added too much liquid. Instead of sweet and creamy icing, the result is a bowl that looks like it’s made up of sugar and water. I tried to make it work. My beautiful spongy cake was drizzled with water icing and placed in the fridge, hoping it would harden. It wasn’t.
That’s when I learned that when making icing you have to add liquid little by little. This is because adding too much liquid will ruin your concoction. You can always add more, but you can’t get back what you’ve already dumped into the bowl. Remember when I said, “Death and life depend on the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21)? What you say matters. And once you say it, you can never take it back.
Now, I’m not saying forgiveness can’t be earned. In fact, as believers, we are called to have an attitude of forgiveness. But we’re only human. Although Jesus has the power to erase our sins, and we are told that God actually chooses not to remember our sins (Psalm 103:12), the human heart works a little differently. Once you say something hurtful to someone, it becomes very difficult for that person to choose to forget it.
The same goes for our actions. Once you do something, that’s it. Again, we are always, always, always forgiven through Jesus, but we still have to live with the earthly consequences of our choices. Just like we couldn’t take the liquid out of the bowl when we knew the icing would be ruined, we can’t take back when we realize our words or actions hurt.
You can add more at any time, but once you’ve done it, you can’t undo it.
3. The recipes that take the most time are usually the best.
I have five words for you. Homemade cinnamon brown sugar pop tarts. This is probably the best thing that has ever come out of my kitchen. A flaky crust with a hard brown sugar icing covers the cinnamon and brown sugar mixture. One piece of fabric is about the size of an adult woman’s hand, and there are about 5 pieces at a time. These are so delicious that I eat them all in one day. It’s homemade so you don’t have to feel guilty. (Maybe not the best logic, but at least there are no bioengineered ingredients).
What could be the only downside to these pastries? It takes forever to make them. First you have to make the dough. Next, you need to mix brown sugar and cinnamon in the middle of the puff pastry. After that, you need to assemble the pastry. You can’t make the fabric too thin because if it’s too thin, it will tear. However, if the dough is too thick, it will not bake properly. Once the dough is assembled, it must be carefully baked. You can’t burn this. Otherwise, it will be completely ruined. At the same time, no one wants pop-tarts with a lot of dough. After spending the right amount of time in the oven, when you have a golden and crispy dough, take out the pastry and sprinkle homemade icing over the dough before it cools down.
It may sound like it takes a long time to bake these, and that’s because it really does. But these are one of my favorite snacks and are more than worth the time. Often store-bought Pop-Tarts appeal to us because they’re quick and convenient. But homemade Pop-Tarts actually taste better and have more ingredients.
Perhaps God wants you to invest in something homemade, something good for your soul. It may be God’s will for you to take some time to adjust your schedule, develop a new spiritual routine, or “simmer down” some ideas a little. I know it’s a long wait, but just like with Pop-Tarts, the end result is worth it.
I’m not writing this to make you think I’m some perfect wife humming in the kitchen and baking fresh bread. I’m also not writing this to give you any actual baking advice. For that you need to call your grandmother. I wrote this to serve as an example of God meeting you where you are and teaching you lessons in the midst of everyday life. In fact, sometimes being in the kitchen is where God and I spend the most time together.
If you are encouraged by these lessons, or even if you are not, I hope you will consider inviting God into your daily work. Baking bread can be a chore for some, or it can be a time of communion with Jesus. Whether it’s a busy holiday season or a slow summer day, why not try a new cookie recipe, talk to your dad, and learn some lessons that will lead to a closer relationship with God…and a cookie or two!
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/hobo_018
Olivia Loren is a graduate student with a passion for the Bible, especially the book of Romans, which introduces God’s grace. Outside of studying, she enjoys teaching dogs new tricks and trying out new recipes before finding out how to turn off a fire alarm faster.
