Better Than Cake

I baked dad a chocolate cake yesterday.

Yesterday many know was Father’s Day. Yesterday was my day to help in the nursery at church. We only had one child but he’s a regular and we have learned how to occupy his attention. I did bring up the live video of the service but being occupied with the child only heard portions. After the service was over and our charge gone off with his dad, we headed out. I had brought a flower to place on my late husband’s grave and walked that down before heading home.

Once I got home I immediately noticed my son was away. He had gone to church, and on his way home stopped to purchase lunch for us. He asked if I had everything to bake the cake and I told him I hadn’t checked yet. I had placed the eggs out to get to room temperature but that was all. Reaching for the recipe I began the check list. Sugar, flour, salt, obviously the eggs, butter flavor Crisco. I had to find that. I couldn’t find that. I asked my son to check the top shelf as he’s taller than me. He couldn’t find any and was preparing to leave back out for the store when I asked him to bring me a chair. Actually it was more of a command to which he responded, “please”. You’re right, please bring me a chair. Everyone deserves to be spoken to with respect and not ordered around rudely.

He carried the chair over and I climbed up to see into the far reaches of the cabinet. I found it, on the wrong shelf. Well, just not the shelf I was expecting it to be on. My son knowing he didn’t have to go back out, headed out to his camper to eat his lunch. I assembled everything I would need, then went to eat while I waited on the eggs.

 When I went to prepare the cake, it was a minor struggle reading information on the packaging of the Crisco. Tiny red letters or foil. I understand that packaging is designed to have a pleasing appearance, but many of these packages are nearly impossible to read. Still, I managed and the cake was mixed, baked and set out to cool. As the cake cooled I prepared to icing. I may have accidentally, deliberately put too much between the layers so I didn’t have enough to cover the cake. Which meant I had to mix up another batch. Which meant plenty left over for me for later.

 After it was finished, I carried it and the ice cream I had purchased down to him. He had recently eaten but he still wanted a small slice of cake and ice cream. While there I helped him find some things he had misplaced. After searching his bedroom, the room where he sits and the hallway, I finally found the items near his television covered with a cloth. I returned them to where he wanted them and headed back to the house. I had forgotten the cake cover and had to get that to try and protect that cake.

Sitting here now, considering all of this has me thinking. God provides for us in our times of need. He is there for us, waiting for us to call out to him. He isn’t hiding, we need not climb on chairs to search. We don’t need search lights, nor any other form of finding him other than prayer. To approach him in humility and repentance asking him into our lives. He readily draws us near to him and makes us his. As an earthly father provides for his children, how much more so does out heavenly father.

To prepare that cake, I needed ingredients and the recipe to follow to make this cake correctly. God provides for us what we need to walk this Christian life. We are given His Son to pay the price for our sins. We were/are given forgiveness, mercy and grace. We are given the Holy Spirit to indwell within us to teach and guide our life. He gave us His Holy Word to instruct and encourage us. He gives us His love to cover and shelter us, to protect us as we walk.

No, the Christian life is not, has never meant to be an easy one. There will be struggles, but it is in and through those struggles we grown stronger in faith, and closer in trust to God. And that, is even better than home made chocolate cake.