Yesterday I made bread. Real bread, by hand, no bread machine involved. I used to make bread for my family all the time, but haven't done the real "get in and knead it yourself" kind for 15-18 years, I guess. It's amazing how therapuetic it is to knead bread dough. Your mind is free to wander where it will as you push and pull and pound and turn and feel the dough becoming more and more elastic under your hands. It is work - I could feel it in my arms and shoulders when I was done - but it does feel good. And the results of your labors? Yummy! And let's not forget nourishment for your family. I made the whole wheat/cracked wheat/multi-grain kind. One slice fills you up and does great things for your insides. :-)
More thoughts about bread?
Bread is the staff of life
By the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat thy bread
Cast your bread upon the waters
Jesus said, "I am the bread of life."
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Shall we try again?
My blogging children have inspired me, and I shall try this again. Thank you Jack, Jess, Judy, and Leah....
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
About insomnia....
Why is it that a person can be bone-tired and even dozing off just before bedtime, and then go to bed and lie there wide awake in the darkness? This is the situation I am finding myself in tonight. A few short hours ago I was sitting in my rocking chair watching TV with Joanna. I realized that I had dozed through part of the news, but was so totally and utterly exhausted that I couldn't even drag myself out of the chair and down the hall to my bedroom. I finally succeeded, got myself ready for bed, sank blissfully into my pillow, and closed my eyes for some much needed and much welcome sleep. An hour later, having been wide awake the whole time, I found that I couldn't even keep my eyes closed and lying in bed was sheer torture.
Unfortunately, this is not an unusual experience for me - although I have not been plagued by the insomnia bug on a regular basis for some time. I remember being awake in bed for what seemed like a long time at night when I was a child, but I don't remember what I did about it then. As a young mother, and through most of my pregnancies, I would lie awake in the darkness and quiet of the night and plan my dream house. I would create floor plan after floor plan in my mind and furnish everything right down to the color of the walls, the type of flooring, and the kinds and colors of flowers I would arrange in vases to match each room's decor. Now, I find that instead of creating in my head what I want to have, I plan out what I want to someday do.
I think about what kind of trips I would like to take, and make all the travel plans along with lists of things to see and do while I am making my journeys. Or I might plan out next summer's garden, deciding what kinds of vegetables and what kinds of flowers and shrubs I want to plant and where I want to plant them. Sometimes I think about things I want to make - what styles and colors of items to sew or knit or crochet for my grandchildren, my dolls, or myself and/or other family members. Sometimes I ponder the subject of my next Sunday School lesson, and just let thoughts, scriptures, stories, etc. that might fit the lesson, wash over me. Sometimes I write stories or articles in my head, or I might plan out what I would sell if I set up an online store.
Of course I have heard of counting sheep, and have tried that a good number of times over the years. I have even tried counting them backwards from 1000. Recently though, I heard someone say, "When I can't sleep, instead of counting sheep, I talk to the Shepherd." I think that is the best idea yet, and have had several recent conversations with my Savior during bouts of insomnia. Sometimes I fall asleep in the middle of those discussions, and sometimes I don't; but I always feel better for having had them in the first place. Maybe I should just go back to bed tonight, and try for a little quality one-on-one time with the Lord.
Unfortunately, this is not an unusual experience for me - although I have not been plagued by the insomnia bug on a regular basis for some time. I remember being awake in bed for what seemed like a long time at night when I was a child, but I don't remember what I did about it then. As a young mother, and through most of my pregnancies, I would lie awake in the darkness and quiet of the night and plan my dream house. I would create floor plan after floor plan in my mind and furnish everything right down to the color of the walls, the type of flooring, and the kinds and colors of flowers I would arrange in vases to match each room's decor. Now, I find that instead of creating in my head what I want to have, I plan out what I want to someday do.
I think about what kind of trips I would like to take, and make all the travel plans along with lists of things to see and do while I am making my journeys. Or I might plan out next summer's garden, deciding what kinds of vegetables and what kinds of flowers and shrubs I want to plant and where I want to plant them. Sometimes I think about things I want to make - what styles and colors of items to sew or knit or crochet for my grandchildren, my dolls, or myself and/or other family members. Sometimes I ponder the subject of my next Sunday School lesson, and just let thoughts, scriptures, stories, etc. that might fit the lesson, wash over me. Sometimes I write stories or articles in my head, or I might plan out what I would sell if I set up an online store.
Of course I have heard of counting sheep, and have tried that a good number of times over the years. I have even tried counting them backwards from 1000. Recently though, I heard someone say, "When I can't sleep, instead of counting sheep, I talk to the Shepherd." I think that is the best idea yet, and have had several recent conversations with my Savior during bouts of insomnia. Sometimes I fall asleep in the middle of those discussions, and sometimes I don't; but I always feel better for having had them in the first place. Maybe I should just go back to bed tonight, and try for a little quality one-on-one time with the Lord.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Ever have those days?
Today has been one of those days when you just really don't want to do anything. I have had enough of doing "things," and just for today wanted to be left alone to meditate on the state of my world - just hang out in my cave and eat chocolate, if you will. So here it is, time to be eating dinner, and I am sitting at my computer in my pajamas - nope, never got dressed today - and finishing up a Dove bar (dark chocolate with almonds, which I rationalize is good for me because of the antioxidants in the dark chocolate, and the Omega-3 and fiber in the almonds).
I have finished reading a little book I started yesterday (Burying our Swords, by Kevin Hinckley - a parable based on scriptures from the Book of Mormon) which I found quite thought-provoking. I have been to my dolly message board and given input as a moderator on the state of the board, which I have sadly neglected the past 10 days as I prepared for my daughter's wedding. I have checked my email, and my daughter's blog. I have talked with my Mother about plans for our upcoming Thanksgiving dinner here at my house. I have welcomed my daughter and her new husband home from their honeymoon and watched them open their wedding gifts (acting as scribe/recorder so they wouldn't forget who gave them what). I have unwrapped my little bride daughter's wedding bouquet and arranged the flowers from it in a vase for her to take to her new apartment. I have petted the dogs and fixed lunch for my husband.
My day has not been entirely unproductive, so why do I feel like I haven't accomplished anything? And what is the definition of accomplishment, anyway?
I have finished reading a little book I started yesterday (Burying our Swords, by Kevin Hinckley - a parable based on scriptures from the Book of Mormon) which I found quite thought-provoking. I have been to my dolly message board and given input as a moderator on the state of the board, which I have sadly neglected the past 10 days as I prepared for my daughter's wedding. I have checked my email, and my daughter's blog. I have talked with my Mother about plans for our upcoming Thanksgiving dinner here at my house. I have welcomed my daughter and her new husband home from their honeymoon and watched them open their wedding gifts (acting as scribe/recorder so they wouldn't forget who gave them what). I have unwrapped my little bride daughter's wedding bouquet and arranged the flowers from it in a vase for her to take to her new apartment. I have petted the dogs and fixed lunch for my husband.
My day has not been entirely unproductive, so why do I feel like I haven't accomplished anything? And what is the definition of accomplishment, anyway?
Monday, November 17, 2008
My baby just got married....
Well, it finally happened. The youngest of my seven children - my baby girl - just got married. Perhaps I should clarify that this particular baby is twenty-four years old. I have lived a goodly number of years, and spent the majority of those years actively "mothering." I used to think, and even say out loud, that I looked forward to the time of having all of my children finally away from home and on their own. I was wrong.
Since my youngest daughter has spent the past six-and-a-half years since her high school graduation living away from home most of the time, mixed with several months here and there back home again, I suppose I should have become used to this empty nest feeling by now. But I discovered during the times when she was absent, that I really didn't know what I wanted to do with myself. I re-discovered a few old hobbies, and tried a few new ones, and have decided to add blogging to the list.
I figured I have had a great many life experiences that I could reflect upon and share with others. I hope to spend time here just commenting on life in general, and my own experiences in particular. I invite others to share their thoughts as well, asking that you keep it clean and wholesome as that is the way I like life to be as much as possible.
Since my youngest daughter has spent the past six-and-a-half years since her high school graduation living away from home most of the time, mixed with several months here and there back home again, I suppose I should have become used to this empty nest feeling by now. But I discovered during the times when she was absent, that I really didn't know what I wanted to do with myself. I re-discovered a few old hobbies, and tried a few new ones, and have decided to add blogging to the list.
I figured I have had a great many life experiences that I could reflect upon and share with others. I hope to spend time here just commenting on life in general, and my own experiences in particular. I invite others to share their thoughts as well, asking that you keep it clean and wholesome as that is the way I like life to be as much as possible.
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