33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”
Matthew 13:33
“Good morning Emily!” I smiled as I saw the text from my good friend. “So after 10 years I killed my sourdough starter 😩. Would you be willing to share with me?”
“Absolutely!” I responded, and set about feeding my starter and separating some in another jar.
As I went about my morning tasks I kept thinking about sourdough, and how it grows and reproduces. I got my starter from a friend of Anthony's who took up baking during the lockdowns. I've fed it, used it, and acclimated it to my own kitchen. Now I'm passing some on. The wild yeasts and bacteria that I'm sending out to another home are descendents of those that Brian first nurtured.
I didn't have a ton of time to think, as we were rushing to get out the door to homeschool co-op. After throwing our lunch, diper bag, and the boy's backpacks in the car, and buckling up the kids, we were on the road. As we barrelled down highway 86 I found myself humming the old hymn It Is Well With My Soul. Of course, you can't just hum that particular hymn, because it is so fantastically triumphant. Soon I was singing at the top of my lungs,
“my sin, oh the bliss of that glorious thought!!! My sin, not in part, but the whole! Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, praise the Lord, praise the Lord, oh my soul!!!
I smiled as I remembered our good friend Greg. Before he went to be with the Lord, he was a mentor and a friend to countless people. It Is Well was his favorite hymn, and I think of him every time I sing it. So much of my walk with the Lord can be traced to him.
I was a very shy teenager when I met Greg. He was a Marine veteran, former missionary who pastored a small church and had a maintenance business on the side. He was in charge of the building remodel of Congregation Roeh Israel, which was accomplished by a horde of ordinary members with varying degrees of skill. (He nearly died laughing upon inspecting drywall I'd hung in a closet. He joked that my closet will be the only thing standing after the Second Coming, because I used so many screws.)
Over the years Greg and Joan became like grandparents to us. Some of my most exciting memories come from my time as Greg's apprentice, when we did everything from instal heavy duty light fixtures in apartment garages to painting to demolition. I loved driving around town in his old pickup talking about theology and hearing his stories from the Marines and the mission field. Once he told me he'd pay me double if I would take a flying lesson. I took him up on it. Greg taught me to do scary things.
When I started baking in earnest, Greg was one of my most reliable critics. He gave me my first rolling pin, tart pans, and several cookbooks. The rolling pin traveled with me to Cyprus and Israel when I went on mission trips of my own. I could count on him to give me constructive criticism on my chocolate croissants, as long as he had plenty of coffee. With just enough milk to change the color.
I would be a very different person had I not known Mr. Greg. But then, I have been so uniquely blessed by the “starters” I've acquired in my life. The original strain was painstakingly nurtured by my parents, and enriched by additions picked up around Claudia's table, Ms. Joan's prayer room, Mrs. Debra's back patio.
The kingdom of God is like leaven. What does that mean? Not only do we nurture the Word in our lives, but we also pass it on.
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
We pulled up to the church for our last day of co-op at the same time. “Here's your starter!” I called out. “I just fed it. I hope it doesn't overflow the jar!” “Thanks so much!” She responded. “Now I can bake bread again!” I grin, and hand over the jar.
Bread of the Week: Injera
My first mission trip was to Ethiopia, where I fell in love with the hospitable people, the gorgeous landscape, and the unique food!
Injera is like a thick sourdough crepe made from a grain called teff. Spongy, and sometimes almost purple in color, injera is used to scoop up food during meals. I was so excited to discover teff flour in our little grocery store, I had to try my hand at injera! It was delicious paired with Ethiopian style greens and my parents' lamb. Anthony's parents were very gracious taste testers. Food adventures are so much better when you have loved ones to share it!
Till next time,
Emily