Cake

Kate's birthday cake last year.

You know that game called "Association"?  One person says a word and then another person says the first thing that comes to their mind when that word is said?  Yep.  That's the game.

I say "Birthday."

You probably say, "Cake!"  (especially since you saw the picture with this post, right?)

Well, it turns out birthdays are not boiled down to cake.  Who knew?

Kate turned 4 years old this past Monday.  It was a great evening!  I bought cupcakes, but we are a creative family, so I like to decorate the cakes/cupcakes myself.  One day I hope the kids will be able to be a BIG help with projects like this.  It involves making memories and being creative together.

On Monday night I decorated Kate's cupcakes with butterflies made from white chocolate covered pretzels and jelly beans.  I didn't take a picture--oops!  They were super cute though!

The fun was in creating.  I didn't feel like I missed out on the eating.

There was a day when I could not have resisted a cupcake.  Now I don't even want one.  I'd say that is a pretty huge change, wouldn't you?

Jude turns 6 on Tuesday.  Lots of birthdays in our home right now!!!

I just got done decorating Jude's cake.  Jude and Kate will both have cakes this weekend for a family birthday party.  They chose to have Max & Brody (our black cats!) on their cake.  I was stumped.  But today I have been a cake decorating fool!  Not my best work, but I've allowed the kids to help as much as possible, realizing that the memories out-weigh the beauty of the end result.

The kids could hardly keep from swiping fingers through icing or eating all the candy decorations.  I thought the cake looked gross, actually.  Not because of the adorable decorations.  No, it turned out really cute!  But because there was nothing about it that was calling to me.  I was almost repulsed at the thought of eating it.  I can't believe I'm actually saying that.

But these birthdays aren't about cakes.  These birthdays are about two cute little blessings that God gave to Dan and me.  They are the focus.  And making the event fun for them is important.

Remember the Keith Green song, "So You Wanna Go Back to Egypt?"  Great song, though totally quirky.  I think it would be easy to see the Medifast food as manna and complain.  I can see that.  But I think...no, I know...I see it as God's provision for me.  A miraculous provision!  I don't want to go back to Egypt--to the foods and behaviors of the past.  I don't grieve them anymore.  I can now remember how awful they were.  No, they didn't taste awful--they were alluring and delectable.  Isn't most sin?  But those habits and that food was killing me.

I'm not saying there will never be another piece of birthday cake.  (Well, maybe I am.  Who knows.)  I'm just saying that freedom sure tastes pretty amazing!!!  Better than cake.