Excitement and joy was contagious in our family because my husband’s older brother was finally getting married! Since I enjoy baking and decorating, I was thrilled that they accepted my offer to make the wedding cake. I carefully baked, frosted, and piped detailing on the layered rounds. I was having such fun, my husband suggested I start a business and I even had potential clients from his work. I envisioned capturing the masterpiece on camera with cascading roses perfectly placed on each tier. To my dismay, their plan did not match mine at all. In fact, I was replaced in the decorating role by her sister. The idea of not being able to complete the job I had started made me very sad. I became worried the cake may fall or be damaged while others played with it and I would somehow be responsible. I even began to regret that I had offered to give this special gift at all.
My cousin, a fellow cake decorator and artist, had known how excited I was and also knew my disappointment. She kindly wrote me a note and a poem to encourage, sympathize, and gently point out my wrong attitude.
A Wedding Cake Epitaph By: Elnora Lee White
Charity Lynn, Charity Lynn,
‘Tis no sin to make a cake–
to frost and bake, but not to decorate.
‘Tis a trial, no easy smile,
but you have done a service same,
had you frosted the cake with Jesus’ name.
‘Tis also no sin, Charity Lynn, Charity Lynn,
To grieve the cake it might have been.
It was a relief to be able to share with her that just prior to reading her words I had been in prayer with my parents and God had given me peace. Suddenly my eyes were opened with new insight. I felt so much grief in being unable to fully give the gift I desired to give. He showed me how much more we must grieve Him when we don’t fully receive His perfect and holy gift! When you or I choose to accept His free gift of salvation with excitement, He celebrates with us. What do we choose after that though? Do we ever say, “Yep, that is good, but I really don’t want anything more, so please leave me alone now and let me be. This is good, but I really don’t want you to do any more work in my life”? Yet here the God of the universe–our creator–has an amazing plan that is so beautifully designed for us. Are we choosing to simply miss out on all that is grand and glorious in His plan by only taking the cake (if you will)? When we open our hearts to His gift but then refuse all the added blessings and beauty He would like to make of us along our journey, what are we saying to Him? Whether it is a lack of faith, love, wisdom, or accountability, how we must grieve Him. He loves us so much and wants to give us more than we can imagine, yet when we want it our own way, we miss out on fully enjoying His grand plan.
“…he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6
(Stay tuned for part 2)
by Charity Stadler

