Mozaic Ministries
Let's get physical
Olivia Newton-John certainly shook off her Miss Goody-Goody image with the video that accompanied her hit song 'Let's get physical'. However, it will not be compulsory to wear leg warmers and sweat bands in order to read this blog post. PHEW. Instead, I want to look at the physical processes involved in making bread, wine and olive oil. I confess that I was considering calling this blog post 'Grind; Press; Squeeze'. Hmm…
"…wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine and bread that sustains their hearts." Psalm 104:15
Grind.
There is no bread without grinding the grain.
Bread sustains us. It is a fundamental food source across the world. I love eating sourdough bread. This is bread that is naturally fermented, without the addition of yeast. It is the combination of flour and water and the correct temperature that causes the chemical reaction of fermentation. Once the mother has been created, it can be kept indefinitely and keep producing dough for as long as it is fed - the quantity of dough used to make bread is replaced with more flour and water.
In the Western world, one thing that we have lost with modern farming techniques is the variety of grains that can be used for making bread. Bread=wheat. However, there is more, much more. Ancient grains such as: Amaranth; Millet; Kamut; Sorghum; Teff; Farro; Freekeh; Rye; Spelt.
Millet has a high magnesium content. In addition to lowering blood pressure, magnesium helps to improve blood vessel function and supports normal heart contractions. The fibre and nutrient content of Teff supports healthy circulation.
These ancient grains are packed with fibre and protein. They naturally contain trace minerals and vitamins. They are easier for the human body to digest and extract the nutrition from.
What is sustaining you? Who is your daily bread?
Press.
There is no wine without pressing the grapes.
Wine production and retail is a multi-million pound business worldwide. Wine ferments over time. Its alcohol content intensifies the longer it is allowed to mature. Much is made of a wine's bouquet, year of vintage and geographical provenance by those in the know. Medical research in recent years has been investigating the health benefits of consuming wine.
I was brought up in a 'dry' home. However, the parents of my best friend at primary school, made their own wine. Their kitchen worktop was always full of large glass jars containing wine in various stages of production. The smell could be quite overwhelming at times. My nan gave me alcohol. I can't have been more than 7 or 8 years old. She was making mince pies for Christmas and gave me a small glass with some liquid in. She told me to drink it. I did. Then, I started to cough violently as the sherry hit the back of my throat.
I was once stopped by a lovely young man in a shopping centre. He was promoting a face cream that was made from resveratrol, which is a chemical compound found in the skin of grapes. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. He gave me a couple of sample sachets, which were part of the Merlot Collection. I looked up the company online when I returned home. A small 52g tub of the same cream cost nearly £300!! This meant that my little 3g sachet was worth over £17!
What are you choosing to bring you joy? Who is gladdening your heart?
Squeeze.
There is no oil without squeezing the olives.
Olives are cold pressed to obtain the maximum oil content. Ancient civilizations used olive oil to cleanse and moisturise their skin, as well as for eating. For many years, the only place that you could buy olive oil in the U.K. was the local chemist or pharmacy. It was sold as a remedy for excess earwax. Now, the supermarket shelves are heaving under a vast array of varieties of olive oils. These include Virgin/Extra Virgin; Light/Dark. Olive oil can be used as a carrier oil for aromatic essences and oils that are used for massage and aromatherapy. It was most probably a large feature of the beauty regime that Hadassah/Esther undertook before she was presented to King Artaxerxes.
What is making your face shine? Who makes you radiate or glow?
"if you… love GOD, your God and serve him with everything you have within you, he'll take charge of sending the rain at the right-time, both autumn and spring rains, so that you'll be able to harvest your grain, your grapes, your olives. He'll make sure there’s plenty of grass for your animals. You'll have plenty to eat." Deuteronomy 11:14-15 (MSG)