Cake Baking and a Smiling Heart

Just about every day I get a "You Make Me Laugh" email. Today's was just too good to ignore.

*Cake Disaster* Many years ago my just married young cousin moved into an upstairs apartment and invited some of her women friends over for the evening. She put out snacks and then came out with a cake that looked like a disaster. She apologized and said she didn't know what happened to the cake because, she explained, "I even used the high altitude directions because I live upstairs."

I could use a good laugh today so thought you could, too. Besides, Proverbs 15:13 talks about a "A merry heart makes the face cheerful ... " and Proverbs 17:22 echoes "A cheerful heart is good medicine... ."

You might laugh at "Cake Disaster" but just chalk it up to one more "dumb blonde" joke or something. Well, it could be true. My "seminary cake story" is certainly true! Believe-it-or-not!

When we were at seminary, we lived in two rooms. We cooked in the bedroom and washed dishes in the bathroom. It was challenging but fun! We had a two-eye hot plate and a small toaster oven. I could pretty much make anything with those two appliances.

One of the other seminary wives asked me if I would teach her to make a cake. She said she wanted to take a cake to her in-laws for Thanksgiving. I told her I'd be happy to help her and gave her a list of things she needed - cake mix, eggs and icing ingredients. Then I didn't hear from her again until about 8 PM on Tuesday evening before Thanksgiving. She knocked on our door. When I opened the door, she looked very sad and announced, "I couldn't find what I wanted." I asked what she meant. She replied, "I wanted to make a round cake and all I could find were square boxes."

I wasn't sure there were enough hours in that night to help her make a cake. AND just for the record, she was dead serious!

Both cake stories are funny, and it does do the heart good to laugh. Besides, it puts a smile on our faces! So even if cake isn't particularly "heart healthy" physically, it is "heart healthy" to laugh. So, have a "heart healthy" day!

Heart-Healthy Memories Made!

Today is my granddaughter's sixth birthday. We are going to have a grand celebration with cake and gifts. Family and friends are all invited to come to a "cowgirl birthday" party. She is going to wear a pink cowgirl hat, and we're going to drink pink lemonade. We'll play games like "Pass the Snake" (similar to "Pass the Hot Potato") and "shoot the bottles off the log." There are pink and white balloons, confetti, and pink bandanna napkins. The treat bags for each guest are shaped like a pink cowgirl boot and filled with various goodies. We may even dance "The Hokey Pokey"!

What's the point? The point is to celebrate a milestone of life, but the greater point is to make happy memories for multi-generations of a family!

Years from now when Abby is grown and has her own little girls or boys, she will remember this day, and her heart will smile as she plans special memories and celebrations for her own children!

Families are in grave danger in our culture. We need to set the pace of making happy memories for our children and grandchildren so they will learn the pattern and continue it for generations to come. It's a beautiful thing to see memories made that impress themselves on hearts! It's one way to insure happy, secure children when we make memories and celebrations of big and small happenings! It's a heart-healthy thing to do!

Happy Birthday, Abby!