...the thoughts and intents of the heart

Sigh.  What went wrong?  I did everything exactly the way the recipe called for.  I softened my butter; let my eggs adjust to room temperature.  One couldn't ask for a more beautiful day with no humidity to stir things up.  How could my recipe fail and turn out to look like this?

I was so full of good intentions for my chocolate pound cake.  I was going to make each of the gals in Card Ministry one and they were just going to ooh and ahh over my skills.  Later, when my daughter and grandsons come for suppers, they were going to be dazzled by its lusciousness and beg that we have "dessert before supper Tuesday" instead of the usual Thursday.  Yes, these pound cakes were going to be the highlight of each soul's who got a piece day.

But...look:  just look at this crumbled mess.  If you were in my house, you would smell the burnt junk that overflowed in the oven and smoked up my house so that I had to open windows and hope the fire alarm wouldn't go off.  Even the dogs didn't come running for this tasteless meal from Granny's house.

Sigh.

But, as I ran the knife over the stuck-on gooiness and (of course) tasted a few of the crumbs, guess what?  It was still good!  Not a total disaster and there's no way on earth I would take my lady friends their very own individual one but...My grandsons aren't as particular.  If it's chocolate, they'll eat it!  {Aside:  my gals at Card Ministry aren't judgmental about stuff.  I just love them so much I only want them to have my best.}

As I reviewed what went wrong, I realized that I had used the wrong type of flour.  Self-rising.  Mmn hmn:  no wonder it was all over the place. My stove will need a good cleaning; my baking dishes an extra-good scrubbing.  Dad burn it!  My best laid plans waylayed by self-rising flour!  Ugh!

Isn't it great though that like this dessert, God can make beauty from our ashes?  Like I said, the cake wasn't a total loss and the flavor is a good one.  To a hungry kid, it may be the prettiest thing he sees all day!  While I made the mistake of using the wrong flour, the rest of the ingredients somehow pulled together to make some semblance of an edible treat.  The mistakes I make in my life, not coincidentally, can also be made aright with the touch of the Master's Hand.  When my best efforts fall short, He can still blend my heart's intentions to align with His purpose and create something good.  Now that's something to chew on!

Let's pray!

Dear Lord, thank You for another life lesson via my baking time a little while ago.  As I was mixing all of the staples together and marveling at how nicely they smoothed together, I considered the things in my life that go into a big mixing pot and come together for good.  Some things--like the cocoa--are bitter and some are just necessary--like the flour.  But when the sugar is added?  And the flavorings?  Oh, how wonderful the mixture tastes!  

May I sop up Your Words, Your Truths, and Your lessons as eagerly as I did the big blue bowl's leftovers, Father.  And when You put me through the fire?  I hope I will have some goodness that doesn't burn in the heat.  Through Jesus' righteousness, I will at least have one part right!  Amen.