Amish Cook: Gloria turns up the wheat

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Patience. Perseverance. We all want it, but don’t necessarily want to take the path that it may take to get there.As a little girl I really didn’t have an exceptional amount of patience. I remember when I was 12 or 13 years old,writing in my journal how much I had a hard time being patient with my brothers. At other times I felt tried withmy littlesisters whom I loved so dearly. I wondered what it would be like if I would perhaps be a mothersomeday. “Would I then be a patient sweet mother or would I be tempted to snap at them,” I asked myself timeand again.

Well, somehow the clock of time has ticked much faster than I thought it would. Here I am a mother of two,another one on the way, and a foster mom to two more. Do I get tired? Yes I do. I am not a super mom thatalways hits every note in a musical manner as she wishes she would. I do have times I feel frustration

rise within me. That reminds of what our deacon shared a week ago, “It’s the fruit of the Spirit that allows us to

have a better response to a negative situation than what we’d have of ourselves.” That’s it. Of myself I simplydon’t have what it takes to be a good mom, it takes someone bigger than I.

Take for instance, with three children who need their daily naps, I’m just learning how to try to arrangeeverything so that this mama can also take a little break. As you can imagine, it doesn’t always fall into placelike how I would like for it to. And of course when trying to keep one or two of them awake until the others areready to sleep, we end up with more grouchiness and not so good behaviors, resulting in a greater need forbigger doses of patience for Mom especially if she already has a lack of sleep from caring for baby during thenight!

Or how about the times I get back to my weekly writing project after the twentieth interruption? As I tell Daniel, Iend up with my patience becoming drained or having it strengthened. I love writing, some days just requiredigging deeper into the patience bank than others.

But you know, moms really aren’t the only ones faced with situations that tend to drain patience reservoirs. Juliamay be an example of this. Her kindergarten is starting in three long weeks from now. Her backpack has beenpacked for days or even weeks, yet there is no option but to simply wait until the big day arrives! Interestinglyenough, her first day of kindergarten is on my due date, so we both have to wait until February 20th! (In ourparochial school we have a couple weeks of kindergarten the year before first grade, more about that in anupcoming column.) Julia has been doing preschool work at home for the last few years now so I am excited tosee her go to school with her friends. We will also miss her here at home, she is my sunshine in so many ways.I’m sure she’ll do well at school and it will undoubtedly help her mature in new ways.

All of you undoubtedly have things that you’ve had to accept for the thousandth time, testing your patience levelto the max. Isn’t it amazing though, how we all have a place where we’re called to serve and at times self- pitywants to settle in, making us feel all alone in our world of problems as we forget that we really aren’t the onlyones facing a dilemma?

Whatever your trials may be, may you be blessed as you continue taking one step at a time, trusting God tosomehow see you through!

Thanks to all of you for your loyal support, especially during the busy seasons of our lives.

For a recipe this week you might want to join us in the highlight of our day; our shipment of 60 gallons honeyarrived. Don’t worry, we won’t be using all of this ourselves, we’ll be sharing with other people in thecommunity. We’ve eagerly been waiting for it, especially for eating it with fresh bread. We had placed our honeyorder with Amish people in Mount Vernon MO. now it finally arrived. I couldn’t resist stirring up a batch ofhomemade bread to eat with it. It’s our favorite recipe used by many Amish mothers. What beats a slice ofhomemade bread, straight from the oven slathered with homemade butter, then honey drizzled on top ofeverything?!

AMISH WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

4 1/2 cups lukewarm water

3/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup honey

3 tablespoons instant yeast

2 tablespoons lecithen granules*

2 heaping tablespoons wheat gluten*

1 tablespoon salt

11- 13 cups whole wheat flour

Mix first three ingredients, then add next four ingredients. Mix together then add half of flour. Mix very well andadd remaing flour until desired consistency is reached. Knead for ten minutes. Let set five minutes. Knead,shaping into five loaves, place into greased pans, then prick with a fork to remove air bubbles. Set in oven onpilot to rise for 30 minutes. Turn oven to 300 and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove frompans let set on cooling racks for 20 minutes before putting into bags.

* These items are available in bulk food stores. I prefer using Prairie Gold whole wheat flour which is alsoavailable in bulkfood stores.

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By Gloria Yoder

Amish Cook

Gloria is Amish and lives in a rural horse and buggy settlement in Illinois. Readers with questions or comments can write to Gloria at P.O. Box 157, Middletown, Ohio 45042. Viewpoints expressed in the article are the work of the author. The Daily Advocate does not endorse these viewpoints or the independent activities of the author.

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