While Cooking…

I got the same results as last week!! Some of my cake was stuck in the pan…AGAIN!

I made, what I thought was, the right correction. However, I got the same results! What in the world is wrong with me??? I have been baking cakes for over 40 years!! And I have messed up this cake twice…in less than a week!

I made the cake so that I could take some to a friend! When it turned out the same way, I said to myself, “I cannot take her any of this cake!!!” HOW EMBARRASING!!! She will talk badly about me!! She might even wonder if I know what I am doing?” When I write about this one, some folks may think I am messing up stuff on purpose to write about it! (Side note: Catrina, look at all of these cognitive distortions I am using. We need to do the podcast soon!)

I started taking pics and sending them to my friends asking them the below question:

“What do you do when you have corrected your mistake (so you thought) in order not to have the same results as last time AND you just knew it was going to work out this time; YET, it still didn’t work?”

I got varied responses!

“You messed up another cake?”

“All good sis! I am certain it is still da bomb!”

“Wish I lived close so I can enjoy the mess up with you?”

“What type of grease are you using?”

“Tell Joshua to get the ice cream!”

“It tastes like it was made with love.”

“I’m sending my son down to get some cake.”

“Bring me a piece with some ice cream.”

Well, while I was shaking my head and “wallowing” in my pain (despite the merciful responses), Michael was taking pictures of me trying to put the cake back together … unbeknownst to me. I found out when I called my son to let him know that I messed up another cake. 

He burst out laughing saying, “Oh that is the picture that Daddy put in the chat!” 🙄  

I said, “What chat?” He replied, “The Heartbeats Chat (which is what I call the family chat).” He then realized that it was a private chat between them (my husband and sons) not the family chat!! My son sent me the picture and I just rolled my eyes though I was slightly beside myself thinking, “No, He didn’t!”

I thought, “Ohhhhhhh (in my high-pitched voice)!!! Is that what we are doing now? We are sneaking around and taking pictures of people. Sniggling and giggling and carrying on!!”

It was funny at the moment because we often make fun of each other in my family (all in fun).

However, it is not so funny when this happens to be your life right now. You keep making mistakes or keep trying to correct it, but nothing is changing. It is not so funny when the costs are greater than your pride or when the ridicule and shame are more public. It is not so funny when the people who ridicule are your friends or family and they make jokes at your expense. It is not so funny when people start talking about you or start thinking differently or negatively about you!

It makes you not want to try AGAIN because who would want to go through the embarrassment AGAIN?

It makes you wonder where is God and why would He allow you to be embarrassed again?

Why wouldn’t He work it out for you this time? You thought you heard Him correctly on what you needed to do to render a better outcome, however, you get the same results! What do you do?

James 1:2-4 (NIV) says, “2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

That’s right. When you mess up… AGAIN…count it all joy. Have some cake and ice cream with your son this time. Take a picture of you enjoying the mistake because you know you are one step closer to being mature and complete!

I know messing up and “messing” up your life are two totally different things. But did you REALLY mess up your life? Probably not! Yes, you used up some time that you cannot get back. Yes, you used up some resources. Yes, you made a mess. But, Yes, You also learned. This time, I didn’t get too mad! I actually called a friend or two and shared it with them and I received encouragement! They wanted to eat the cake with me! A couple knew I was going to probably write a blog and they couldn’t wait to see what God tells me. So, I will try this cake again. I am looking forward to it!

I want to encourage you to try again. I want to encourage you to figure it out again. In this life, we are learning perseverance and patience. Both of which are perfecting us. We cannot be perfected unless we go through a trial. We can’t learn something if we arrive at the destination on the first try every time!  Sometimes we have to do things two, three, maybe 10 times before we get it right.

I want to encourage you to not give up but to continue pressing through!! There was a gospel song that our adult choir used to sing a lot when I was younger, and the chorus was:

Fight on soldier, don’t give up the journey.

Fight on soldier, don’t give up the journey. (go up an octave)

Fight on soldier, don’t give up the journey. (go up another octave) 😇

If you fight a good fight down here, when you get over there, you know you won’t have to fight no more!!

That song speaks so differently to me at 52 than it did when I was 12. We serve the God of a second, third, fourth, and another chance!!

As Psalm 23:6 (KJV) says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…” That is good news to me because I know in life, I will mess up and I will continue to mess up sometimes. But my God loves me unconditionally and whether I get it right or whether I get it wrong, I am still on the path for which He has destined for me! That is good news.

Just because I’ve messed up, it doesn’t mean that I am doomed to never make it. It doesn’t mean that it is not meant for me. It just means that I’m learning. It just means I’ve learned one more piece of the puzzle and how to place it correctly!

Yes, it’s just like when we put a puzzle together. Sometimes we turn those pieces in all kinds of ways trying to make them fit or we join it to the wrong piece!! We just move to another piece until we have more of the puzzle and find the right spot.

So it is with a mistake! It is just a wrong turn or place for that puzzle piece. That piece is meant to be in the big picture! Hallelujah!! The mistake doesn’t mess up the picture. Just try again!!

Fight on soldier!! James 1:12 (ESV) says, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him!” Don’t give up too soon! We’ve got to persevere! We’ve got to keep going!  Don’t let the mistakes stop you! Just take a picture of it and count it all joy! 😃 Enjoy what you just did! Have your cake and ice cream…then…try again!

#Spicing Up Your Soul