I love to bake. It’s something I’ve grown up watching and learning. The Thanksgiving and Christmas season before my dad opened his own bakery, our house was a temporary one. Cookies, pies, and boxes were everywhere. Our house smelled amazing all day long. When the real bakery finally opened, the long hours began, work started at 2a.m. and ended around 6p.m. My mom and dad were there all day long, Monday through Saturday. I worked after school, Saturdays and every summer before I married Justin and moved away. I learned many things while working there – how to ice a cake, how to make pie crust, how to bake a loaf of bread, how to get along with customers, how hard work pays off, how work stops for worship services, even if you are too tired, and how free food for the preaching students will eventually earn you a preacher in the family.

I love baking bread. Every time I do it reminds me of the parable in Matthew 13:33 – Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. I have a big package of yeast in my refrigerator and it hasn’t grown one bit. Why? Because it needs food, it needs to be mixed with warm water and sugar. The church cannot grow without people, but not just people, it needs people who are willing and able to feed on God’s Word. When we are studying (eating) we are going to grow in knowledge and that knowledge will help us to be able to teach others and those others will grow and teach others and pretty soon our whole lump will have grown so much that it is overflowing.

I love baking things for others. It makes me happy to see the faces of those to whom I’ve taken sweet treats too. It’s not about the sweets; it’s more about cheering those who are lonely, remembering the widows, and giving what I can to others. It’s just like Jesus said in Acts 20:35 “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Jesus knew exactly what He was talking about. If you happen to not believe it; do something for someone else, give them something, buy them something, do something completely unexpected for someone and then you will understand what Jesus is talking about.

Baking takes time, effort, a recipe to follow and lots of messy dishes that need washed, just like our Christian life. Take the time to study, make an effort and follow God’s recipe. He is willing to make you clean of your messy, sinful life. The question is – are you willing?

By: Kristina Odom