We Love God!

God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)

You must remember we are all creatures of imitation: precept may teach us, but it is example that draws us. There is that in us all, that we are always disposed to catch the ways of those with whom we live; and the more we like them, the stronger does the disposition grow. Without our being aware of it, they influence our tastes and opinions; we gradually give up what they dislike, and take up what they like, in order to become closer friends with them. And, worst of all, we catch their ways in things that are wrong far quicker than in things that are right. Health, unhappily, is not contagious, but disease is. It is far easier to catch a chill than to impart a warmth; and to make each other's religion dwindle away, than grow and prosper.

J.C. Ryle

Love is very much a matter of actions rather than emotions. However, although this emphasis on acts of love is certainly necessary, we can sometimes give the impression that love doesn’t involve any emotion – that it is entirely an act of the will, of one’s duty, regardless of how one feels. We can even promote the “I can love him but I can’t like him” type of attitude. The Bible does not support such an unbalanced concept of love…fervently, fondly, and affectionately (are used in the Bible) to describe the love Christians ought to have for one another… Obviously such a fervency of spirit cannot substitute for loving actions, but surely it should accompany them. We dare not settle for less.

Jerry Bridges

We Love God!

God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)

Four-way Sweet Bread Dough

January 28, 2023

CATEGORY	CUISINE	TAG	YIELD
Eggs, Dairy		Breads	6	Servings

INGREDIENTS

2	c	Starter *
4		To 6 egg yolks plus warm
		water to make 2 cups
1 1/2	c	Cold water
1 1/2	c	White flour
1/2	c	Sugar
3	c	White flour
1/2	c	Warm water
1/2	c	Soft lard
1	t	Sugar
1 1/2	t	Salt
1		Dry yeast
5	c	White flour
1	c	Dried skim milk powder
1/2	t	Ginger

INSTRUCTIONS

Use Grated Raw Potato Starter  Empty starter from glass jar into large
mixing bowl (do not use metal  or plastic).  Add 1-1/2 cups cold water
and 1-1/2 cups white flour.  Beat thoroughly. Cover tightly (clinging
transparent wrap is good)  and set in warm place (about 80) overnight.
Wash and scald starter  jar and lid. Allow to air out overnight. In the
morning stir the  starter thoroughly. Pour off 2 cups and set aside.
Pour remaining 2  cups into glass jar, cover and return to
refrigerator. Mix the 1/2  cup warm water, 1 tsp. sugar, 1/2 tsp.
ginger and 1 pkg. yeast. Set  in warm place until foaming nicely. Pour
the 2 cups reserved starter  into mixing bowl.  Add 1 cup dried skim
milk. Beat the egg yolks (the  more yolks the more tender and flaky the
texture) in a measuring cup  and add enough warm water to make 2 cups.
Add to the starter mixture  with 1/2 cups sugar and 3 cups white flour.
Beat well. Add the dry  yeast mixture as soon as it is ready and beat
thoroughly. Add 1/2  cups soft lard, 1-1/2 tsp. salt and 3 cups white
flour. Stir until  the dough clears the bowl. Spread the remaining 2
cups white flour on  the pastry board. Turn out dough and knead
thoroughly using a little  more flour if necessary to make a smooth
nonsticky but not to stiff  dough. Return to the bowl. Grease top of
dough, cover and set in warm  place to rise. When light turn out dough
and knead well. Divide into  four even portions to make up in the
following ways:  Old World Lemon  Cookies, Grenadine Slices, Cardamom
Rolls and Raisin Log.  (If  fillings have been prepared ahead of time
and the other ingredients  needed set out while the dough is rising it
will take only about 20  minutes to get all of these made up and into
the pans. If they are  made in order listed they will be ready for oven
at spaced intervals.)  From: Breads and Coffee Cakes with Homemade
Starters Shared By: Pat  Stockett  From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster
collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini

A Message from our Provider:

“Many favors which God gives us ravel out for want of hemming through our unthankfulness; for though prayer purchases blessings, giving praise keeps the quiet possession of them. #Thomas Fuller”