#251 - Punching Bread Dough

Inspired by this book, I recently made a goal to count one thousand gifts in my life. I'll be sharing some of my list and insights with you as I go along this little journey.

Moments come and go.

Today I pile dirty clothes – whites, darks, lights. Fold. Feed hungry mouths. Wish my sister-in-law a happy belated birthday.

I fold more.

Dishes pile until I store clean plates, bowls, and glasses. Plates, bowls and glasses that will be dirtied in a few hours.

Kids need attention. We decorate, hanging streamers, red and blue. We listen to “America the Beautiful” and other music. It is, after all, the 4^th of July.

Seth says, “It’s American’s birthday,” jumping from the couch over and over and over until it is lunchtime. I throw food on the table. Yesterday’s rejects. Hungry again, we eat, then clear dishes.

Kids need more attention.

I break out water colors and they paint stars while I mix flour, yeast, salt and water into smooth stretchy dough. Stars are soon abandoned as small hands come to help me knead and punch.

They delight in it.

I pause, noticing bright eyes and smiles, and I remember to count the moments of this ordinary day. I want them to pile up, like my laundry and dishes, but each one is gone in an instant. All I can do is receive each one. I close eyes and silently thank, then back to rolling, and pulling and punching dough.

Only now, I delight in it too.