Icing on the Cake

So its official. I've become one of those stay at home moms/wives that take a Wilton cake decorating class.

I remember my mother doing the very same thing and our birthday cakes were never the same again.

Well, we all know how Lauren's birthday cake turned out (see post). So we know the skills are lacking.

Anyway, I had my first class last night at Michael's Craft Store. I thought it was going to be learning basic techniques --- this is cake decorating, how hard can it be?

What they did not prepare me for was all the supplies I would need to purchase. I know Danny is thinking: "We better have the prettiest Christmas cookies this year!!" I am also overwhelmed that the truth is that this is no namby pamby sissy class. I am intimidated and overwhelmed by what we're expected to accomplish in this class. Who knew there were 3 kinds of icing: stiff, medium and thin. Who knew food coloring that is liquid is bad, but the gel colors won't make your icing bleed?

All I have to say is this, my pipe dream of decorating cakes professionally one day has been squashed. There is some serious work invovled in preparing and decorating a cake.

Somebody smack me when I start taking the "How to make Holiday table clothes" class or the "Perfect Easter Egg Decorating" class.

My Friend, Philippians 4:4-13

I have meant to blog for awhile, but of course with Thanksgiving travels, (the possibility of lice), the holidays starting up with tree trimming, etc. --- I can hardly keep up.

This year, as I keep saying, has been about one of so much change. I have struggled in ways I did not expect, and of course been blessed in ways I did not expect.

A couple of months ago, I was finding myself exasperated by the habits of one of the kids. It was not a moral failure or a "sin" issue. It was about training and character building, but I would get so discouraged that it would blind me to the point of not seeing my calling in this child's life. It would blind me to anything ELSE about this child and I knew that was MY sin, not the child's.

I did not know how to stop being frustrated. I would get frustrated with my own frustration. I just did not have any answers on how to deal with it --- my sinful attitude. So, at my wit's end I decided I would just memorize scripture. Specifically a portion in Philippians that says, "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right..... think about such things."

I figured that this could be at least one way I could stop focusing my mind on what was frustrating me, but on God's Word and something positive about the child. I know, I'm original and brilliant in my application of scripture. Stop the presses. BIG FAT DUH.

So I started memorizing Philippians 4:4-13. It has been nothing short of the most intimate time and insight with God. I have never been one to memorize scripture (sadly and embarassingly) but there has been so much joy and reward with this experience.

But there's more. THAT was my time with God -- just His Word, this portion that I would meditate on in the morning. I would write out the versus over and over again. Each new verse had application I had never seen before, and I was experiencing God's Word as "living and active." What was the biggest blessing was it was JUST scripture and me. For the first time in my life, my time with the Lord was not about my prayers or a study book or Bible study. It changed my perspective and method of prayer, and it changed my love for God's Word.

I found that this small portion of scripture for me was sooo rich and deep and full and unending and a wealth of application to my life in so many ways beyond my original intent of memorizing to begin with. And if these 9 versus could be this powerful, why then do I not understand and grasp what is the full magnitude of power that is in ALL of scripture?! What kind of woman could God transform me into if I meditated so deeply on the rest of His Word?

I will confess, I have a harder time saying the versus then writing them out. And I seem to struggle most with vs. 11 and 12. I find that if I skip a couple of days, I am still sketchy on vs. 11 and 12. But I am still writing them out even though I am "done memorizing" them. Strangely I can't seem to let them go. And I am finding them to give me perspective specifically with the holidays.

As I look onto 2009, I am committed to memorizing Colossians 3. If you have never been convinced of scripture memorization or have believed the lies I have or been too lazy like me or whatever your excuse --- I have had them all since I was 13 --- I implore you to be challenged to find a small portion of scripture to memorize. Don't give yourself a deadline, don't expect it to take up huge chunks of time or be dull because it is repetitive. Just do it, and see God bless you in ways you could not have expected.

So here's Philippians 4:4-13 (NIV) --- may it encourage you.

4 - Rejoice in the Lord always. Let me say it again: Rejoice!

5 - Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

6 - Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

7 - And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

8 - Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable --- think about such things.

9 - Whatever you have received, or learned, or heard from me, or seen in me --- put it into practice. And God's peace will be with you.

10 - I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.

11 - I am not saying this because I am in need for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

12 - I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

13 - I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Happy Anniversary

Well, today is the 1 year anniversary of Danny and I "re-entering" each other's lives after almost a year of heartache previous to that.
Crazy, isn't it?

I'd offer the cliche phrase "What a difference a year makes!" but that would just not be accurate. I offer instead, "What a difference Jesus makes!"

Happy Anniversary to us and happy anniversary to yet ANOTHER way in which God reminds me that He does things His way for a reason. He does things His way in His timing for a reason.

And then I offer: "Thank GOD!"