A blessing in brokeness

The original post has been added too.

Today I was busy with my final preparations for our Christmas. This included cleaning, some cooking and most importantly baking "Jesus' Birthday Cake". My husbands grandmother was an incredible baker and after she passed we were gifted with some of her baking pans. We have two heart shaped pans and it has become our family tradition to bake a heart shaped cake and sing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus on Christmas Eve.

It has become a beautiful reminder of what Jesus wants most from us, our heart. We take some time to reflect on ways over the past year we have let Jesus in to our hearts and look at how we can do better during the next year.

All was going as planned until I went to put the two layers together. They fell apart with big cracks. I sat there looking at it and thought how fitting it really was. Jesus doesn't want us to be perfect before we give Him our hearts. He wants us just as we are; cracked, imperfect, and broken. See the picture below:

I began to reflect on this year and that cake looks much like I feel. There have been some great victories this year; I was able to hit a goal of getting back into my wedding gown after 19 years and four kids. My husbands company has had the best year yet since being in business. My kids are growing up to be great people. We have our health and each other.

But there have been some challenges too. I have had to put on the shelf some of my personal goals and dreams for a season of being home with the children. It became apparent that I could not do both right now. I have personally struggles with feeling like I was loosing my identity. His peace has prevailed and I know I am where I should be; doing what He has for me right now. That was clearly evident when persecution came our way. I have really had to push to keep connected with God this year, and some days I don't get there.

As I looked at my broken cake (which I would not have been able to eat anyway; I gave up sugars this year); I am excited to see what the next year will hold for me and my family. I know that even though we have some broken areas right now, through His grace and mercy we can become whole. I pray that all of you have a Merry Christmas and an incredible New Year.

As I was typing this post, there arose such a clatter!! It seems the puppy has cleaned the cake platter....
















Isn't that what Christ does for us? Wipe our hearts clean? I love the sense of humor our God has.

Blessings,