Thoughts about Cookies

Last Saturday, I put on an event for women at church. The focus was on fall being a time for change, and letting change begin with me. One of the things I prepared for this morning event was some sugar cookies. I found myself musing about them in my journal the following morning. I shared these thoughts on Saturday morning, and it was so well received that I thought I would post my thoughts here as well. I hope you enjoy them.

COOKIES

Journal October 7th, 2010

As I created the cookies yesterday, I was thinking how no 2 are alike, and each one is a unique creation, just as we are. As I made the cookies, I rolled out the dough to just the right thickness. That would have hurt, but it was necessary.

Then, I cut out the cookie, separating it and making its boundaries- creating its shape, and knowing what the colors and details would be when it was done. The baking came next- the heat that transforms the raw dough into its finished form. The heat causes the dough to soften and collapse in surrender, then the leavening causes it to rise and hold its shape as the baking progresses. If I don’t keep a close eye on them, they will burn very quickly and be ruined. If I take them out too early, they will collapse like a soufflé and have no integrity to hold their shape. But when they are done right, they have both strength and flexibility. I can take a hot cookie from the sheet and bend it and it will hold its shape when it cools.

After the baking is the decorating. I get to choose color and design and decoration to define its finished character, beauty and identity. Until it is decorated, no one else can see what I see- its identity and purpose. Some in my batch have become butterflies, representing a born-again life. Others have become daisies, representing purpose.

I was fortunate that the cookies cooperated with my plan for them. Can you imagine if they hadn’t? If they hadn’t gone through the rolling, cutting, baking, cooling and decorating? They would never have been able been able to become what I had planned for them. I’m sure some of it was uncomfortable, and some seemed unbearable, but I had my eye on them the whole time to help them become finished into the plan I had for them. Each one is a hand-made unique creation, just as You have created us, LORD, and continue to work on us throughout our lives.

I pray that I will cooperate with You as You Are building my life, to complete my character and Your Purpose for me. As I worked on those cookies, I thought about each of the women coming to the event. We are not the same, we are not mass produced. Each one of us is a unique creation in Christ that You Are building up, keeping Your eye on us as a silversmith refines the silver. Shaping each of our lives as the Potter creates each individual vessel in His Hands. 1 John 3:2 says: Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He Is. In the beginning, You said, “Let us create man in our image, after our likeness…”

Lord, help us submit ourselves to You to be changed today. Teach us, write Your truth into our hearts.

In Jesus Name I Pray~