Baking with Sister Pickwicks

PICKWICK

Baking

and the Virtue

of Joy

There is nothing like Holiday Baking!! This month we are studying the Virtue of Joy!... and what better time of year could there be to study such a virtue, than when we celebrated the Birth of Our Beloved Savior!

Indeed, it is important for us to fully invest ourselves in this

virtue, not just at Christmas time, But throughout the year. Still, It seems like this time of year brings out the Joy in all of us. I would like to think that this is solely because of the jubilation we feel at the thought of Christ's birth... but I know that is not always the case. Christmas is oft times a time of reflection, and family. How I wish we could remember to do this more often through out the year!

I have to admit, I am all to guilty of forgetting to do just that. Our Hectic schedules, the kids activities, cleaning the house, running errands... etc. How many minutes... How many hours... How many days worth of a lifetime do I waste in constant motion?

There are days when I feel like a lifeless Robot... Go

here... Go there... do this... do that. I loose my temper. I

feel rushed. I get stressed and at the end of the day,

when I finally stop to take a breath, I realize the precious

moments I have wasted. How many of us do this? How

many of us continue to do this even after we have

realized it has been done?

Oh, the days when we use to immerse ourselves in the simplest of gifts. To live, To TRULY live; To be Free; To be Thankful; To Cherish each moment; To Praise God for our Health; To bend to His Will and for the Good of mankind.

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free, 'Tis the gift to come down where you ought to be, And when we find ourselves in the place just right, 'Twill be in the valley of love and delight. When true simplicity is gained, To bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed, To turn, turn will be our delight, Till by turning, turning we come round right.

It is truly amazing... that in the simplest of things... baking.... we can find, peace, joy and comfort. Is it the scent? Is it the time spent caring for our family? is it the Fulfillment of The simplest of needs?

I think it is all of these things.

Smelling the fresh baked goods, and the warmth of the oven; recollecting the happy childhood thoughts ; Teaching our children how to bake; KNOWING that in the act of simply "baking" we are feeding our children, our husbands, our families; KNOWING thatWe are full filling the most basic of needs; Knowing that We are nourishing them, caring for them, All things that we were made to do. We are serving our basic purpose!

When we Bake... when we serve our families... we are in turn serving GOD!! No wonder we get such peace, joy and contentment from it!

We began teaching this lesson, by instructing our girl's how to bake. This is a very basic life skill, and all too often, in today's world, it has been forgotten. It is all too easy to run through a drive through.... or buy a TV dinner these days. Sure, sometimes I am guilty of doing this as well. BUT, there is never a day when I feel better, than the day that I have cooked a meal for my family, and we sit and enjoy it together. it is a "Simple Gift".... and a wonderful JOY!!

It is my hope that these girls' found enough joy in baking muffins, sharing there work with each other, and indulging

in a fresh baked good and a cup of Hot cocoa. It is my hope that they learned more than just a "basic life skill".... but the importance of being joyful NOT just a Christmas time... but all year through. Joy at Christmas is easy.... Joy throughout our lives... Joy in the good times; Joy in the bad times; Joy when we scrub the toilet; Joy when we take out the garbage.... THIS is the REAL Challenge