I used to chuckle when Michael told me his memory of his mom always baking on Saturdays. Of all the things to do on a Saturday, why bake? (My own mom was more likely to bake during the week; we cleaned on Saturdays.) Now, being gone from home most of the other days of the week and having a son still living at home who likes his chocolate chip cookies, I often find myself being a Saturday baker. A key to good baking is careful measuring.
Anyone who bakes knows you don’t measure every ingredient in the same way. As I’ve baked with the grands over the past few years, I’m teaching them the differences: pack the brown sugar (and isn’t it fun to watch it come out of the cup like one of the towers of a sand castle on a Lake Michigan beach?); lightly spoon in the flour and level it off with a knife (or in our case, the edge of the flour scoop)–don’t shake it down!
This fall, I’ve been learning a lot about measuring my words. There have been some hard lessons about what to say, when to say it, and how many words to use. Being sparing with my words does not come naturally. But, I am told that sometimes, more is less. Knowing when it is so is not always easy.
However, when I think of “measuring” my words–well, I can get my head around that. Just as measuring ingredients properly can make the difference whether a recipe turns out as intended or not, measuring my words properly in accordance with the purpose for which they are being written can determine the effectiveness of their outcome.
The Psalmist had the right perspective, one I should breathe in and out more often and more deeply: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer.” Perfection in measurement, I’d say!
Through Changing Eyes 