If there is one question I'm asked more than any other it is how I find time to bake bread. (Or read? Or garden? Or homeschool? Or any any other variation of the query.)
Sorry to disappoint you but I have no secret method of adding an extra hour in my day. Time can't be "found", or saved, or bought. You, me, President Obama and every other person in the world is given 24 hours every day. Our health, energy level, and skills may vary. We may own more time "saving" devices. Or have assistants to help us. But the same number of minutes pass through our hands beyond our control.
What we do control is our priorities. We will find the time to do what is the priority of our heart.
Every time I'm asked how I find time to bake bread, I get nervous. Should I be finding time to bake bread? Is it wrong that I'm finding time to bake bread? Is this the best use of my time? Am I neglecting something more important because I'm baking bread?
When bring my questions to Ed and ask him if I'm using my time wisely or if he wants me to adjust my priorities, he usually makes some sort of wise crack about how he really thinks I don't make enough bread!
I know he is joking but that is one reason why bread is a priority to me. I enjoy baking bread. I believe the bread I bake is healthier, cheaper and definitely tastes better than anything I can purchase. But knowing Ed loves my bread allows me to put it on the priority list on my schedule. I often say that we eat simple meals but when it comes to bread we are food snobs!
This week my freezer is well stocked with some great breads. But you can write your name on the dust on our dining room cupboard. I'm choosing to ignore some dirt and dust knowing that it is only going to get worse until this remodeling project is done. But if I knew that the dust was driving Ed crazy, I would put cleaning higher on the priority list.
When I write about baking bread, or gardening, or books I've read, I hope you never add them to the list of things that you must do. Each of us will have different goals in life. You probably do something much better than I. I definitely don't "do it all". I could give you a whole list of things that I don't "find time" to do. Please don't compare yourself to me, or any other woman you may meet.
God has given you 24 hours in a day. It is exactly enough time for you to do everything that the Lord wants you to do. If you don't have time to bake bread then it is not God's will for you to bake bread at this time of your life. Remember "his divine power has given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness." (2 Peter 1:3) It isn't more godly to bake your own bread - or whatever other item you wish to do yet seems out of reach.
You won't believe how freeing that thought is to me. Instead of facing frustration in all that I have not done, I can rest in knowing that God has given me all the time I need to do His will for ME. Of course, God could be asking me to rearrange my priorities (get off the computer, for example) so that I have time for other priorities (like baking bread for my husband). But if I'm a good steward of the time He has given me, I don't need to worry about what I have left undone.
This is getting long enough, so I'll share more tomorrow.
I'd love to hear how you discern proper priorities for your home and life.
Gina, this is such a great post. It is so true that we make time for our priorities. Some weeks I bake bread and some weeks I don't. Simple as that. If it were a higher priority then I would do it every week.
ReplyDeleteI am always delighted at how little time it takes really.
I agree with you that we need to take some of our priority cues from what is important to our spouses. We want them to be happy and comfortable in their homes!
Deanna
Yes! I sometimes feel dishonest blogging about what I do, just because there is so much I do NOT get done.
ReplyDeletePriorities and self-discipline... still learning. And with that, I will *choose* to leave the computer for now! =)
Wonderful words of wisdom! It's easy to feel overwhelmed by all the things I'm not doing that I want to or feel like I should be doing. But, I loved the perspective you shared:
ReplyDeleteGod has given you 24 hours in a day. It is exactly enough time for you to do everything that the Lord wants you to do. If you don't have time to bake bread then it is not God's will for you to bake bread at this time of your life. Remember "his divine power has given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness." (2 Peter 1:3) It isn't more godly to bake your own bread - or whatever other item you wish to do yet seems out of reach.
Thank you for such an uplifting post today!
God Bless!
Pam
That is a well spoken post or should I say written? I love to bake as well but it also drives me silly if my house gets to be to much of a mess. AND we are remodeling so things do tend to get away from us and sometimes rooms are cluttered with things from other rooms as they are fixed up. When Jack knows it is getting to me he either cleans something for me or as today, we have a major cleaning party. Other days I am good at just enjoying us time and letting things go for awhile.
ReplyDeleteWell said Gina. I believe that we should be good stewards of whatever it is the good Lord has given us, be it time, money, possessions, family, home. All of these are gifts of the Lord and need be taken as such!
ReplyDeleteThere are so many things that I wish I had time for (baking bread being one of them), however, I know that my lifestyle right now does not place this high on my priority list. As a single parent, working to support my children, there are other things on my priority list that rank higher and I will do those to the best of my ability because I know this is my walk at this time in my life.
Thank you for such a wonderful post!
Sheila
Gina, this was such a good post. It is to easy sometimes to look at what others are doing and feel we are lacking. How true God gives each of us twenty four hours each day and we do not all do the same things with the time. We each have different priorities God has given us in our stage of life. I also agree with you that the things that are important to our husbands need to help us set our priorities.
ReplyDeleteA really good post Gina! I often remind my 18 year old (and myself) that God will allow us to get everything done in a day that is in His will. We just have to get up and work (and may I add that my daughter is VERY diligent but sometimes feels guilty when she shouldn't - she has very high expectations of herself).
ReplyDeleteRemember the old rhyme The Mulberry Bush? There is actually some truth to it. If you develop a routine and have a "baking day", a "wash day", etc. you can actually accomplish quite a bit. While each person in our family has a laundry day, we do bake on one day - Mondays. We make extra bread (as well as Granola) and put it in the freezer so we have enough to last all week. Works well for us, but I admit, having older daughters to help with this is really great. I can not tell you I did this when my kids were younger. HOWEVER, it never occurred to me to do it this way either. I had to teach myself to MAKE bread first! Thus my mission to help younger women consider some of these options; to develop routines and habits early on. I'd love to hear if any of the young mothers out there have tried a regular routine of baking and how it is working for them.
This is great Gina. Thanks for these encouraging words. Just what I needed to hear today. Hope you and your family have a blessed Easter weekend.
ReplyDeleteSo true Gina. I love to bake my own bread, make my own yogurt and granola and grape-nuts...you get the picture. Some people wonder how I do it and really it is about priorities and also about what I enjoy doing. Some people spend a lot of time scrapbooking or sewing. Me? I hate both of those things and would much rather be baking or cooking.
ReplyDeleteAnd honestly, my sweet hubby loves homemade stuff. His enjoyment of and encouragement in me making this healthy food also makes me put it as a high priority. I realize that there may come a day (if my house if full of little ones for instance) where I might not be able to do this stuff. But for now...well it's part of how I use my 24 hours.
Very well said! It is VERY free-ing to know that we are all different and choose different priorities. And, different is different. It is not better or worse. It is different.
ReplyDeleteThe most important this is to be in line with God's will for my life that moment. Whether that's baking bread or sewing skirts or washing the dishes. (that I will now go wash!)
Discerning priorities and being on the same page as my husband is difficult for me at times... actually, most days. I'm more than a little strong-willed. Thank you for your encouraging post. :)
ReplyDeleteI love reading your blog. You inspire the homemaker in me and I love baking my own bread, too! We have also made a bucket for each bathroom with natural cleaners just like you did. We tried your overnight coffeecake for breakfast a couple of days ago and liked it. We homeschool our 5 boys and are growing a garden. I love learning from you and feel like I have found a kindred spirit. Thank you so much for sharing your life.
ReplyDeletelovely post. I do so agree with you!
ReplyDeleteSometimes I need time for important things and realize that I have allowed other things to become priorities by default - lazy habits that I wasn't paying attention to. . .then I need to readjust my priorities.
This is exactly what I needed to read today. Thank you for nudging me back on the path of priority.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree. My dad asked me how I had time to blog and I said, "I make time." We all make time for what we want to do and what is important. I ask people how they have time to watch TV. That usually works. But you did such an amazing thing - asking your husband what he wants most and prioritizing it that way is THE WAY to do it. Thank you for sharing this. As always, I love reading your blog.
ReplyDeleteThank you I'm with Jennifer, it was exactly what i needed to read today! God bless and Happy Easter.
ReplyDeleteThis is why I love your blog!!! Blessings to you for checking with your husband about how you spend your time. I do this also, and my husband usually laughes at me, too. =) I would write more, but I must go shape my dough into loaves. =)
ReplyDeleteTracy
Hi!
ReplyDeleteI've been reading your blog for a while now and just haven't gotten around to leaving a comment yet. :(
This was another great post! I appreciated the reminder you gave that we make time for what matters most.
Because you bake bread quite frequently, it goes much more quickly for you. I rarely make yeast products so to me it seems time consuming. I don't have a family to bake for so it's not been a priority.
My mom makes wonderful wheat bread so we get some from her occasionally. I signed her up to get your blogs via email and she has been enjoying your posts very much.
Thanks for all the effort you put into your site! I really enjoy seeing what you are baking!
Your post was uncannily timely. Thank you so much. Was telling my friend how much bread you had baked, having 3 (or is it 4?) children, home schooling (and everything else I could remember you do, and was feeling so guilty. Thanks for relieving me of that "false guilt," as I call it. Won't take up any more of your time saying everything it meant to me but rest assured, I will always appreciate every word.
ReplyDeleteThis post was so uplifting to me, thank you!
ReplyDeleteThinking about God's will for me and my time on a day to day basis, and letting go of the guilt that I can't do everything I "should" in the 24 hours given to me has been a powerful relief and mood elevator!
Easter blessings to you,
Juli
oh, i love this post! i never really thought of time this way, and i needed it. God gives me actually the right amount of time each day. Sometimes i think that u and i are probably at the opposite sides of life right now, but i learn so much from ur post..(not about bread making, since i'm too scared to even try;) (maybe someday), but about contentment. being right where God wants right now! Thanks, Gina, for being an encourager to me and others. love
ReplyDeleteGina,
ReplyDeleteThis is just an excellent post. Our priorities are so important, but they cannot be exactly the same for every stage of life. I have saved your post to re-read and share with others.
God bless,
Mrs.T
I know that this is an older post, but I just found it, and it really touched my heart. I have a new baby, our first one, and I've been really struggling with all the things in our home that I can't do right now. So thank you, your words meet me right where I am today!
ReplyDelete