I made bread a few days ago. I searched the pantry and the countertop for a packet of yeast, but came up empty handed. I knew there was some in the refrigerator, but was unsure how long it had been in there. I also wanted fresher, more “active,” options. Well, there WERE no other options so I pulled open the door and reached in the WAY back to pull out the little jar.

Naturally, there wasn’t nearly enough for my recipe…about half. I wanted bread. The kids wanted bread. I WAS MAKING BREAD. I used what I had and hoped for the best.

We got bread. Well, we got something that resembled bread. It was more like a bread-shaped brick. Ok, it wasn’t HARD, but it was thick and heavy. It was NOT the light and fluffy bread we were hoping for. We made do. We used enough for our egg salad sandwiches before I tossed the rest in the garbage.

Yeast went on the grocery list.

I made more bread recently. It was much more successful. I had all the ingredients that I needed. They were all fresh and available in the correct quantities.

How often in our lives are we only putting in partial ingredients and hoping for a big, fluffy loaf of bread?

I know I am guilty.

Two ingredients that I need more of in my life:

1. The Word

Sure, I read and write a lot of words every day, and there is nothing wrong with that. I read posts from many AMAZING women and men. I read and respond to comments and replies that I hear from you all on MY words. All are a comfort to my heart. All of these words inspire, they lift, they convict, but these words are not THE Word. All of your voices are important tools in my life, but they are not the voices that should be used to steer my ship, guide my heart. I heard a woman on the radio a few days ago talking about giving up social media for Lent. While I’m not ready to abandon all of the wonderful, inspirational people that I communicate with daily, I am ready to start storing my phone on top of my Bible and reaching for its pages a little more often instead of always for a touch screen.

2. Face time

No, not on my phone or computer. In fact, the exact opposite. I want to communicate MORE with the people who are with me every day…the LITTLE people who are looking to me for direction and guidance. I want them to know their lives are valued, their words are important. “Hold on” and “in a minute” should not be the regular answers that they hear coming from their role model because she is spending so much time communicating with people who they can’t even see.

Let’s be honest for a second…

One quick glimpse, one article has a great possibility to lead to endless scrolling. I need balance…a little more of God’s voice and of my family’s faces. I need more scheduling, balancing of my ingredients.

Some ingredients are betrer than none, right?

Sure, but your finished product is going to fall flat. It’s going to come up lacking, and that is not something I want in my life. It’s no good for anyone.

What ingredients do you feel like you are lacking, friend? Are there areas in which you feel you are falling short? Is your bread light and fluffy or thick and heavy?

Remember, quality AND quantity are important when you are anticipating a successful outcome. Life is too important of a recipe to be allowing yourself to cut corners.