09 November 2012

Five Minute Friday ~ Quiet


"Come and get your free write on in just 5 minutes!

Where a beautiful crowd spends five minutes all writing on the same topic and then sharing ‘em over here [@ Lisa Jo's]!

...Now, set your timer, clear your head, for five minutes of free writing without worrying about getting it right.

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community..

OK, are you ready? Please give us your best five minutes on..."

Quiet…

...GO




A relatively new tradition for our family... celebrating its two-and-one-half birthday soon...

At least one Saturday morning a month, I wake early and in the quiet of those last dark hours while listening to the bats beep, the call to prayer from the mosque over the hill and the soft gurgling of water running over the barrage,  I make doughnuts...

chocolate cream filled sprinkled with vanilla sugar

pumpkin cream filled sprinkled with pumpkin spiced sugar
Even though it means I don't sleep in on Saturday, in this most-of-the-time lively, noisy full-to-bursting with eight kids and their friends home, those few hours of nonstop motion in such relative quiet also measure sanity for Mama. I think about making doughnuts... boiling milk, sifting flour, proofing yeast, measuring spices, kneading dough, cutting holes, heating oil, dripping glaze... Ironic that I uncover such restfulness in a lack of sleep and quiet busyness? Perhaps, but these simple yet creative tasks gentle my spirit, distract me from pressing matters, give me something on which to focus my actions and coordinate my thoughts. Not Scripture, I'm still directed to thing on lovely, pure, noble, good things like serving my family, the smiles on their faces, the success of adapting a recipe or what I learned when it didn't work so well, how my Lord is standing in the kitchen, quietly visiting with me as I work.

pumpkin maple glazed yeast doughnuts
I discovered an archaic term for worry... I thought the word existed only in French, but inquiet was once used in English, too. It denotes anxiety, worry, lack of peace, striving, fighting, opposition...

The opposite of quiet ~ 

STOP!

early morning helpers glazing doughnut holes

while sneaking tastes of the glaze

fruit of the labor - lots of smiles and delighted taste buds

10 comments:

  1. I adore this post! It reminds me of Brother Lawrence's musings of quiet worship and fellowship in the menial tasks of peeling potatoes or scrubbing pots. And wow, those are some good looking donuts. I'm sure your kids are so happy to wake to that and obviously to "help/taste." You are creating an atmosphere of service and memories for them. I want to come spend a Saturday morning with you and your lovely family. I'll take one of those pumpkin ones please. ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Let me know when you'll be here and I'll be sure to have some of those pumpkin ones ready to share!

      Thanks for your kind words and for popping over today!

      Delete
  2. Wow - they look so yummy! Lovely post - Leah x

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  3. Sometimes I find quiet in the serving too, and it's always a gift.

    And those donuts look amazing:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks. This has been a good few years for me to learn the value of serving. Still learning to always do it with a sweet spirit, however... especially on those mornings I would rather sleep!

      Thanks for the visit and kind words.

      Delete
  4. Baking my family's bread is exactly as you describe here. It's physical and spiritul all wrapped up in one. By the way...I'm coming for breakfast!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Come on over and ya don't even need to bother to call first! :-) Door's almost always open.

      There is something spiritual in physical labor and something freeing in using your body and your mind that also frees your soul and spirit!

      So glad you popped by today!

      Delete
  5. Your post made me hungry...and also made me think of Brother Lawrence's fellowship with God in the kitchen...something very sweet about that...even if you weren't making donuts...smiles...blessings, Richelle...what a sweet tradition and memories for your children :)

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    Replies
    1. you've been the second commenter to refer to brother lawrence... his is a name i've heard, but i've never read much about him or by him.

      maybe i'll need to fix that!

      thanks for popping over and for encouraging words!

      Delete

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