Pond Favor by Liz Ray

It all started out with what I would have named “The Disaster,” but turned out to be something really good. Kip Yoss asked me if I would bake some gluten-free bread as a favor for someone who did him a favor.

Now I am used to baking regular bread all the time so I thought well I could try baking gluten-free bread. I had asked someone earlier if they had ever baked gluten-free bread and they said it was an awful experience—gritty and hard to rise, all kinds of problems.

Well, I found out first hand myself. Making gluten-free bread is a horse of a different color even though I used the recipe entitled, The Best Gluten-free Bread Recipe Ever” that I found online.
Kip brought me the gluten-free flour and yeast and I proceeded to make it.
About three or four hours later I called him and said, “Well, it’s done but I don’t think you will want to give it as a favor.”

It rose and then fell about an inch or two in the middle. Looked like something from outer space.
Well, we laughed about it and cut it and tasted it and right it was no bread to give away as a favor. I ended up throwing what was left of it out to the wild animals, but I don’t know if they ate it or not.

Now the good part. Kip said because I had done him a favor (even though it didn’t turn out good) he would have the boys do me a favor and help clean out my fish pond of the overgrown water plants that were choking out the poor fish.

He said they would be back 6:30 Sunday evening and get started on it. So I brought a couple of rakes from the barn ready for them for this ominous task.

What great workers, Kip and Aaron and Ian! They had it cleaned out in no time, loaded into the wheel barrow, and ready for the mulch pile.

And they even picked up limbs and sticks from the great wind that had blown them all over everywhere and then hauled them to the woods.

What blessings God gives! And friends are one of the very greatest blessings He gives! I would say this is the perfect verse. 

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good…” (Romans 8:28 ESV)

Well, I did bake them a regular loaf of bread to take home so I guess they got something good out of it too and not just me receiving all the blessings.

Love in Jesus,
God’s “pond-favored” servant,
Liz Ray

Gluten Free Bread

Pond help