A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
Daily
Encouragement on
Tuesday, February
19, 2019
"Pretzels"
Message
summary:
Today our message is
based on the pretzel.
Now, as much as any time
in history, we need to
see God's Word and
truths expressed and
impressed upon those who
follow us.
Listen to our
message on your audio
player.
"Hear,
O Israel: The Lord our
God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God
with all your heart
and with all your soul
and with all your
strength. These
commandments that I
give you today are to
be on your hearts.
Impress them on your
children. Talk about
them when you sit at
home and when you walk
along the road, when
you lie down and when
you get up. Tie them
as symbols on your
hands and bind them on
your foreheads. Write
them on the doorframes
of your houses and on
your gates"
(Deuteronomy 6:4-9).
This
last weekend we visited
a neighboring town,
Lititz, and toured the
Sturgis Pretzel House,
the oldest commercial
pretzel bakery in the
US. They began making
pretzels at this
location in 1861. We
took a tour and learned
about the history of the
company and the pretzel.
At one time Lititz had
so many pretzel makers
that the mascot for the
high school teams was
the "Pretzels".
This
last weekend we visited
a neighboring town,
Lititz, and toured the
Sturgis Pretzel House,
the oldest commercial
pretzel bakery in the
US. They began making
pretzels at this
location in 1861. We
took a tour and learned
about the history of the
company and the pretzel.
At one time Lititz had
so many pretzel makers
that the mascot for the
high school teams was
the "Pretzels". Pretzels were
originally made by hand
and a pretzel twister
was expected to twist 50
per minute. In our tour
we made a pretzel by
hand although mine (to
the left) didn't look
too appetizing or
artistic. Nevertheless,
the tour guide awarded
each one in the group a
certificate as an
"Official Pretzel
Twister". So if you ever
need help twisting a
pretzel just let us
know, or you might
actually prefer
Brooksyne's touch (see
below).
Until
the 1930s, pretzels were
still manufactured by
hand and then for a time
with an automated
pretzel maker (seen at
right). Now pretzels are
made using dough
extruded through molds.
It is estimated that 90%
of all pretzels are
never touched by human
hands during the
manufacturing process.Today,
Pennsylvania remains the
American pretzel-making
capital, with a full 80
percent of U.S. made
pretzels made right here
in the Keystone State.
We often pass the
Anderson Pretzel Factory
in Lancaster,
Pennsylvania which calls
itself the world's
largest, producing 65
tons of hard pretzels
daily. Auntie Anne's was
founded by Anne Beiler
who was born into an Old
Order Amish family in
Lancaster County in
1949. The headquarters
is downtown.
Pretzels
have an ancient history,
although their origin
remains a mystery. There
are many stories as to
how the first pretzel
was created, the most
common being that in 610
A.D. Italian monks used
scraps of dough to form
the shape of children’s
arms in prayer, with
three holes to represent
the Christian Trinity.
They were called
"pretiola" in Latin or
"little reward" and were
given to children who
learned their Bible
verses and prayers.
We still try to incentivize children in learning Bible verses and other spiritual disciplines. We also look for object lessons that can serve as a reminder of a spiritual truth much like the pretzel.
Today's Scripture text is one of the most important to the Jewish people. It is known as the Shema and is an affirmation of God’s singularity. Its daily recitation is regarded by traditionally observant Jews as a biblical commandment.
Today we want to focus on a command to parents concerning God's commands, "Impress them on your children".
Moses
then lists several
specific means of how we
are to impress: "Talk
about them when you
sit at home and when
you walk along the
road, when you lie
down and when you get
up. Tie them as
symbols on your hands
and bind them on your
foreheads. Write them
on the doorframes of
your houses and on
your gates."
Unusual culturally to many of us would be the command to "Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads". But observant Jews still practice this by wearing a phylactery, a small leather box containing Hebrew texts on vellum, worn by Jewish men at morning prayer as a reminder to keep the law.
A thought to consider today: How are we impressing God's truths upon our children, grandchildren and all whom we may influence? The ancient Jews used the phylactery, middle-aged monks used the pretzel. Now, as much as any time in history, we need to see God's truths expressed and impressed upon those who follow us. Are you doing your part? What type of "pretzel" are you using?
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, we know
that You are the
Lord our God and
that the Lord is
one, for there
is no other. We
love You with
all our heart
and with all our
soul and with
all our
strength. For
that reason we
want to impress
upon our
children and our
children's
children the
commands of
Scripture so
that they will
have an
understanding of
who You are and
learn about the
way You want us
to live. This
duty of showing
our children the
righteous path
is best taught
by example and
Scripture when
we talk, when we
walk, when we
lie down at
night and upon
awakening in the
morning.
Surround us with
Your blessed
presence and be
our covering we
pray. Amen.
Pretzels
have an ancient history,
although their origin
remains a mystery. There
are many stories as to
how the first pretzel
was created, the most
common being that in 610
A.D. Italian monks used
scraps of dough to form
the shape of children’s
arms in prayer, with
three holes to represent
the Christian Trinity.
They were called
"pretiola" in Latin or
"little reward" and were
given to children who
learned their Bible
verses and prayers.We still try to incentivize children in learning Bible verses and other spiritual disciplines. We also look for object lessons that can serve as a reminder of a spiritual truth much like the pretzel.
Today's Scripture text is one of the most important to the Jewish people. It is known as the Shema and is an affirmation of God’s singularity. Its daily recitation is regarded by traditionally observant Jews as a biblical commandment.
Today we want to focus on a command to parents concerning God's commands, "Impress them on your children".
Moses
then lists several
specific means of how we
are to impress: "Talk
about them when you
sit at home and when
you walk along the
road, when you lie
down and when you get
up. Tie them as
symbols on your hands
and bind them on your
foreheads. Write them
on the doorframes of
your houses and on
your gates."Unusual culturally to many of us would be the command to "Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads". But observant Jews still practice this by wearing a phylactery, a small leather box containing Hebrew texts on vellum, worn by Jewish men at morning prayer as a reminder to keep the law.
A thought to consider today: How are we impressing God's truths upon our children, grandchildren and all whom we may influence? The ancient Jews used the phylactery, middle-aged monks used the pretzel. Now, as much as any time in history, we need to see God's truths expressed and impressed upon those who follow us. Are you doing your part? What type of "pretzel" are you using?
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, we know
that You are the
Lord our God and
that the Lord is
one, for there
is no other. We
love You with
all our heart
and with all our
soul and with
all our
strength. For
that reason we
want to impress
upon our
children and our
children's
children the
commands of
Scripture so
that they will
have an
understanding of
who You are and
learn about the
way You want us
to live. This
duty of showing
our children the
righteous path
is best taught
by example and
Scripture when
we talk, when we
walk, when we
lie down at
night and upon
awakening in the
morning.
Surround us with
Your blessed
presence and be
our covering we
pray. Amen.Sturgis
Pretzel Ovens
Mural
of Sturgis
Pretzel Ovens
Sturgis
Pretzel house
historical
plaque
Brooksyne's
note:
Here's my hand
made twisted
pretzel.
When comparing
our pretzels I'm
not so sure
Stephen should
have gotten a
certificate
without a little
more practice.
Of course,
that's just my
opinion. Please
note: the
pretzels we
formed were not
from true
pretzel dough,
but rather a
play dough
consistency,
thus the
alligator
texture on the
dough. (Kind of
looks like an
albino coiled
snake in some
ways.)
Today's
Suggested
Music and Supplemental Resources
"What You Leave Behind" Video The Talley's
"What Children Believe" Video Gold City
"Statement of Faith" Video The Booth Brothers, The Hoppers & Greater Vision
"Preach The Word" Video Gold City
"I Played in the Band
and Sang in the Choir"
Video
The Booth Brothers Brooksyne's
note: This is a song
that prompts you to tap your foot
and clap your hands as you think
about the many songs that have
touched your life as a believer.
Featured in the Homecoming
Magazine in 2012 was a story on
Henry Slaughter's accomplishments
as a musician and he wrote a note
of thanks days later to the
Gaithers. He dismissed the
compliments and ended with this
line, "I just played in the band,
wrote a few songs and sang in the
choir." That gave Bill Gaither an
idea for a new song which he wrote
with Larry Gatlin. Henry Slaughter
was one of my favorites in the
past as we heard him and his wife,
Hazel, when they traveled with the
Gaithers way back in the 70's.
Yesterday
we shared some photos we took in
Lititz over the weekend. Lititz is especially
beautiful at Christmas. See here for
photos.
Lititz
is located here (Google map)
Lititz is only about 15 miles
away from where we live.
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
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Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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