Have patience, dear!

2:54 p.m. Today's project was to bake a batch of whole wheat rolls from a 37-year-old recipe I came up with in the early 70's, "the hippie years," in Paonia, Colorado. Dana's Health Bread --a little B.C. conceit here--contains wheat germ, and today's version is sweetened with Pavel's family's honey! I would love to have my own honeybees, if it weren't for that pesky bee-sting allergy Heidi and I have...

Yesterday, my friends shared the frustration I had with a recipe from the Better Homes & Gardens cookbook, one that called for brown sugar, and had some odd directions. Not wanting to be a "bread snob," I gave it a try. Let's just say that my loyal husband Steve has been eating up the oddball tiny rolls and giving out great compliments! Ain't marriage great? Hidden in the "until death do us part" vows apparently is a line for the husband that he shalt eat all concoctions from his wife's kitchen! And for the wife's part, she shalt acknowledge all of her disastrous dishes, and never repeat them! That's one of the ways "the two shall become one flesh," known as COOPERATION!

I have high hopes for this batch of rolls, because the dough felt right as I kneaded it and it rose perfectly. 24 rolls are on their second rising in the bulk muffin tin I got at Smart & Final a year ago. I would recommend this very wise purchase, especially if one is prone to taking goodies to church gatherings. I also get lots of use from my mini-muffin tin, just right for tiny "ladies' " brunch snacks. Now I am patiently awaiting the rising of the rolls, to be sung to the old tune of "bringing in the sheaves!"

Lots of good news and much- anticipated answers to prayer came our way today! Mercury has decided to repair the Saturn from Marisela's car accident; my new insurance agent told me that he can get standard life insurance rates for me--5 year cancer survivor-- from Mutual of Omaha; Steve's State disability claim has not been ended--they are just awaiting a form Dr. Guzman filled out; my flowers and lettuce have germinated; and Kriss/Marisela's wedding announcement is due to be published, with picture, in Friday's Press Enterprise! And, glory to God, Heidi came home safely from Mexico, albeit a tad bruised from her ride in the bed of Scooter Kamio's pickup truck over rough roads to the beach!

Yesterday our oldest son Sean--born in Colorado, by the way--emailed me to ask what time dinner is Thursday! We are on good terms, but we rarely see him, busy as he is with business courses at RCC and the neverending job hunt. Not much going on here in the Inland Empire--our economy was so skewed, based too heavily on the construction trades. All other fields are more than crowded with applicants, such as the automotive tech jobs Sean is seeking. Of all of our sons, he is the one who took most after Steve, with interest in and talent for mechanical things. Like Steve, Sean can completely overhaul a car's engine, and improvise, fix or build just about anything. I sorrow over the news of manufacturing jobs going overseas, when so many of our young people have the kinds of skills suited for production. Lord, I pray Your mercy on our nation once again!

When we birthed our children it was with an optimism and forward look to their walking with the Lord, and the upward mobility that American parents have toiled for throughout our history. It is tempting to forego that dream as we see a chaotic economy and the guarantee of taxes on them such as our generation has not seen in this lifetime. But we and our believing children can say with David in Psalm 26:11-12:

But as for me, I will walk in my integrity;

Redeem me and be merciful to me;

My foot stands in an even place;

In the congregations I will bless the LORD.