Momma's Bread

As I get older so many things that seems to be simple today has so much value. I grew-up in a large family. I was number 10 of the 12 children my Mother and Father had. I have so many thankful memories that seem to flood my thoughts lately. One that is special to me was Momma's bread. We all loved my Mothers bread. It didn't matter what kind of bread she cooked we loved it. one type I am grateful for is the lowly of the array of bread she cooked. The "flat bread" flat bread had a distinct smell of its own. it almost smell as if it was burning however, it wasn't. Mom would cook this bread and I remember it was always setting on the side of the stove when I get home from school. But this bread represented so much more than just another meal cooked by Momma. When Mom cooked flat bread I know now it was hardship on the horizon but back then in my mind it was another delicious bread to eat my peanut butter on. I have learned that this bread also was familiar to the Jews. The bible states that the Jewish nation when they fled from Egypt ate a bread that was unleavened meaning without yeast that was called Matzo. What was significant is that they ate this bread because of having to flee Egypt in a hurry with no time to wait for it to rise. (Exodus 12:18) Therefore, as a reminder this bread is eaten as a bread of affliction. After the emancipation of the Israelites they now eat it as a bread of freedom. Today I cooked this bread as a remembrance of the the hardship my Mother and Father endured to give me the best life possible within their might. I am free to make a choice to eat this bread not because of a hardship on the horizon but out of choice and I find it just as delicious as it was back then. This bread to me represent the road I traveled and the sacrifices my parents made and the sacrifices I made and continues to make for my children. The only missing ingredient missing is it wasn't made by my Momma's, but I feel Momma's love every time I taste it. Today Jesus is our bread of life. He offered up for you and I. The Bible says in 1John 4:9 (NIV) This is how God showed His love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. John 3:16 says that for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son. Jesus is not our physical bread but He is our spiritual bread. In the bible there is language that is figuratively spoken and in John 6:35 Jesus said to them "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." the metaphorical heavenly language was meant to make simple to the listeners a concrete image of who and what Jesus is to man. When Jesus spoke these words mention it was after he had feed 5000 men plus women and children with two fish and 5 loaves of bread from a lunch packed for one person and had left overs. This one miracle of many miracles that Jesus had done was to increase the faith in the people. I know now that not only was the bread my mother prepared the onset of a hardship but it was the prelude to the miracle God was getting ready to demonstrate in my parents life by providing what is needed and from their testimonies God always provided what we needed and they always had left overs to share with others that would come by the house to visit. Momma's bread taught me not to worry but trust God because God will always provide.

Churchgirl Gwendee Smiles :)