Loyal-TEA : An Adams Family Cuppa

Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor. (Proverbs 21:21, ESV)

"Frugal Fanny" that I am, especially at the grocery store, I tend to let go of my thrifty propensity when I feel the Adams' teaching "kick-in." 
Daddy was an exceptionally kind man. He taught, mainly by his actions, that loyalty to folks he knew was the right way to live.... always being loyal to family and friends first. He helped strangers as well....BUT when it came to his services, he did not frequent national companies. Daddy was more of a "mom and pop" supporter of local businesses. Bummy Hampton's for meat. Rudy's for gas. Ray Kranz for plumbing or heating needs. Haddock's for groceries----usually home delivered, no less. (Of course, that gave jobs to those teens like Bugs Turner.) Tom C. Jones for insurance with Pedro Stamper. After Tongate's, THE hamburger joint in Hoptown and managed by his older brother, closed, Daddy did go to Burger King on Sunday night's for his weekly "senior special" hamburger.

This week at the grocery, I was working hard to meet my goal of always saving 30%, when I balked. I could NOT buy the "on sale" flour. Why not?
It wasn't Sunflour---milled in Hopkinsville by the Yost family. The ones who sat several pews up from us in the sanctuary of the First Methodist Church. No other flour ever graced the cabinet shelf at 2211 in Hoptown. Nor will it at 1152 in Memphis. Plus, today I used it to make some corn light bread for a sweet friend---a "relatively" new Memphian (a little over 2 yrs) with a Hoptown connection.

I caught Daddy's sense of loyalty at a young age. Now if I could just "catch" his kindness---he certainly had lots to spread around. As a result he found honor among his family and peers---an honor that followed him all of his days.

Hot tea was served every morning around the Adams table in Hoptown....and I learned at an early age that a cuppa loyal-TEA sweetened with kindness and sweet milk, (as noted on Sunflour recipes) always trumps a cuppa frugali-TEA. 

BREAD OF LIFE

11/30/09 Bread, bread, everywhere bread---at least at our house last week. Everything from hot dog buns and Orowheat round bread (HHS lunch bunch’s favorite find) to cornlight bread, Molly’s wonderful homemade rolls and Mary B.s Tea Biscuits (from Kroger, but the closest I can find to Mother’s “Gigi Biscuits”---her homemade ones, using only Sunflower flour milled in Hoptown.) Five different varieties of sandwich breads were also on hand to allow choice/favorites for lunch and toast for breakfast. Now there’s barely a crumb left.

Isaiah 55:2 says, “Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.”

From biblical times to the 21st Century, “bread” has been necessary for sustenance. “Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 8:3)

As we spend time each day with our “Bread of Life” we can eat His Word and be satisfied. Then we are ready to “feed” others---to be broken bread and poured out wine for their nourishment and benefit. Did I feed my children and grandchildren more than bread wrapped in cellophane this past week? Will they remember talking about Thanksgiving being a time to thank God ? Do they know that their Shug feeds on the Bread of Life? Ask yourself those questions.

Here’s some food for thought. Feed on it. Then go forth and be broken bread and poured out wine for someone else.

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life.” “He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty. (John 6:35)

***PS Tears are streaming……………Last night, just as I had finished this blog draft, Noah, who is almost 6, called to tell us that he had asked Jesus in to his heart. He said he whispered it so that he wouldn’t wake Nathan and then he went in to tell his Mommy and Daddy. He was so excited! He too will feed on the Bread of Life. I know no greater joy than this.