God And The Bread Machine

God can truly work in mysterious ways, even through an unsuspecting bread machine.

As my faithful readers know, I have long struggled and asked God and other moms to help me with my home management skills to make me a good steward of all that He has given me.  As I have felt the Lord calling me to write and share more of my Bible studies in the past few weeks, I began to pray that our Lord will help me to find the time that I need without neglecting my important duties as manager of our home, homeschool mom and wife.

His answers to me have come in ways that I never could have predicted.

First, my wonderful friend and sister-in-Christ, Elizabeth gave me a bread maker machine.  When she first offered it to me I was fairly unenthusiastic.  "I don't really need a bread machine- I can make my own bread plus I have enough clutter around this house anyway." is what I thought to myself.  "I'll think about it." is what I actually said, hoping that she would forget about it.

Well, one day she came over so the kids could play and what do you think she was carrying as she got out of her van? That's right, a bread machine!  I said "Thank you" as politely as I could and tried to figure out what I would say when she asked had I used it and I had not.

I never could figure out what I would say so I decided to go on and begrudgingly "try" to use the bread machine.  As I opened it to begin to examine it and see exactly how I was to use the contraption to make bread, I saw an unopened jar of bread machine yeast.

My heart melted and I felt so ashamed of myself!  The Lord had blessed me with a friend who would not only give me a bread machine but she even equipped me to use it!  How ungrateful I had been but from that moment I had only gratitude that God is a forgiving God and that he cares enough to point out my sins of selfishness, grumbling and ingratitude.  I also then remembered that Elizabeth had e-mailed me her favorite recipe to get me started.

And so it happened that I made my first loaf of bread machine bread.  I then made another and another and another and now I can not seem to stop!  The fresh-baked smell, the lack of preservatives, the ability to make fancy loaves of bread for a fraction of bakery prices and most of all, the happy looks on the faces of my husband and kids has kept me going.

I know this bread machine saga may not seem like much to some of you.  Trust me though- when you are struggling with not having enough time yet you need to save money and be frugal, the addition of a bread machine to our family's meal times has been a tremendous help.

Little did I know that the bread machine saga, answering a prayer that I had not even prayed, would lead to even more kitchen appliance blessings.  Once my heart was turned more fully to my home and my family, I began to see that I needed serious help in the areas of meal planning and meal preparation.

When will I learn to fully trust God and lean not on my own understanding?  God is interested in the smallest details of my life so that I may glorify him in all that I do at all times.  I  count myself blessed to have such kind and understanding Father, Redeemer and King. Soli Deo Gloria! (For the glory of God alone).

Stay tuned to find out how a kitchen appliance saved my life (or at least my sanity and that is just as important.

Look for bread machine recipes to follow in the coming weeks and months.