This one won’t feel like sacrifice! It probably won’t feel as simple as reaching for a slice of Wonder Bread, but making your own bread: kneading the dough, waiting for it to proof, smelling it bake—these are a wonder in their own right. This one may seem like a “Who has time for THAT?” but our recent ancestors baked their own bread or rolls or biscuits almost daily just a few generations ago.
Bread baking requires time, and time requires patience. In this age of instant gratification, we have lost the ability to wait. So while your bread bakes, journal about the experience. And, when you cut into that fresh, warm loaf, think of Jesus as he turned down fresh, warm bread after fasting for 40 days! Don’t forget to offer thanks before you dig in!
If you want to go deeper, make a commitment to donating the equivalent amount you spend on bread in a week to buying items for the Cockeysville Food Pantry and dropping them off in the narthex.
