The recipe

The first time I celebrated my dear husband's birthday as his wife, I wanted to make a cake for him. I knew that he had two favorite cakes, German chocolate and Carrot cake. I decided to attempt to bake the German chocolate. I went to the store, bought all the ingredients, went home, baked the cake successfully and served it lovingly(and somewhat proudly) to my hubby. He LOVED it! He gobbled down piece after piece until there was not one crumb on the plate nor one drop of milk left in the carton. Within a couple of days the entire cake was GONE. You can just imagine how great this newlywed wife felt.

That weekend we went to his parents hometown . This is the type of small, southern hometown that people dream of. You know, the town reminiscent of Andy Griffith's Mayberry complete with the front porch and creaky screened door. He was so excited to tell his grandmother, Mammie, about the birthday cake I baked him and how delicious it was. She was delighted to know that I actually cooked for him. Of course, the town's cake baker that she was, she asked me for my recipe. Recipe? I sought to remember. Did I hear her ask "what was in it" ? I struggled to visualize the ingredients on the side of the Duncan Hines box. Flour, yes that was in it...chocolate, butter..yes, those too. She was gracious enough not to prod further. I'm sure she recognized the ineptness of my answers. I was quickly deflated. I realized that though it may have looked good, a box cake was not really all that special in a home where HOURS were spent on perfecting each recipe. I felt I had made only a replica, a sort of cheap imitation of the real thing.

Lord, don't let my life ever be a cheap imitation. Let me be real. Let me be authentic. Your word says in 2 Corinthians 3: 18 "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." Lord, take whatever ingredients you deem necessary to transform this gal into one who reflects your glory! I thank you that you include in your recipe a big, heaping helping of grace and forgiveness.
Praise Him!