Living-Deliberately.com

That was the answer to prayer I got last week. Feeling overwhelmed with how to do too many things, I got this as a solution. Mind bending a bit ‘eh? Definitely counter culture.

But I didn’t argue. I thought about what to do. Stop multi-tasking and get more into the moment. Go to bed earlier so I can rise earlier, preferrably pre-children. Schedule times for my writing, my painting (my job), and anything else needing undivided attention.

A wise friend counseled me to take better care of myself, something in the analytical process I’d kind of been blind to. But she’s absolutely right. No date in a year. No times away to scrapbook or shop or think. Time to change that.

This morning when I rose at Oh-dark hundred hours, two boys got up with me. That, was kind of not the point…. but I got on my boots and hat and coat and scarf and gloves (eye, eye it’s cold!) and went out to do the morning chores that kept getting pushed frustratingly back until lunch time or beyond. It was beautiful in the pre-dawn. Stars shining, moon bright, the chimney smoke rising against the bare trees…I fed and watered chickens, got them fresh straw, and stacked wood. We had breakfast earlier, David got out the door on time instead of pressing lateness. Things were much more relaxed.

This weekend I also realized a major goal! BREAD! See, about 9 years ago I attended a homeschooling convention and smelled fresh bread. The Breadbeckers came every year and filled the convention hall with intoxicating smells, drawing crowds to come buy their grain mills. I figured I’d better know how to bake a decent loaf before investing so I worked on that first.

Two years of bricks and I quit. I wanted to be that “grinds her own grain, bakes her own bread” kind of girl but she just wasn’t me. Six years later, while pregnant with Rowan and craving country music, I decided to give it another shot. There really is no rational explanation for what happened but I could do it!! With white bread at least, I could churn out a good loaf consistently that rose and tasted like home baked bliss. But wheat bread was still an enigma.

No grain mill, no bulk wheat, no savings to realize with bread until I had this mastered. When I buy bread, it’s nearly 10% of my grocery budget. My boys are growing like weeds and I knew that if I baked they’d snack on that rather than nasty cheese crackers. So I gave it yet another try. I even dared to try it with guests coming!

The result? I’ve found a fantastic recipe that fits my schedule. It’s mostly whole wheat, allows for pre-soaking ala Nourishing Traditions recommendation, doesn’t require all day in the kitchen, or make a huge mess. And it’s consistent every time. I could bake this every day and it fits within my day’s rhythm rather than defining it.

So I can put a grain mill on my list. And I can look ahead to the co-op’s Spring buy and get wheat in bulk. We’ll have a loaf on the table at dinner every day like we see in our favorite british movies. And when I pray, “Give us this day our daily bread”, I’ll know quite exactly what I mean.

I’m doing more, not less, deliberately.

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