CAKE BOSS PROTÉGÉ

by Danna Shirley

Emma has always liked to watch cooking shows and when she discovered Cake Boss, she was in seventh heaven. Buddy, from Carlo’s Bake Shop in Hoboken, NJ was on her regular diet of television watching.   

When she was ten, she asked for a pink Kitchen Aid mixer! Now Kitchen Aid’s cost about $300 so her parents suggested that if she would save her money and pay half, they would pay the rest. It wasn’t long before a pink appliance was sitting on the kitchen counter.

Emma and family took a vacation in 2015 to NY and other parts northeast. Dad arranged for her to visit Carlo's Bake Shop and sit in on a cake decorating class.                                                →    Here she is posed with Buddy's brother-in-law, Mauro.       

Emma loved her mixer and made a few recipes along the way, especially the family’s famous Griswood cake, but with each new year in school, her studies and sports took up most of her time. 

At the beginning of eighth grade, her teacher asked everyone to tell what they wanted to accomplish by the end of the school year. Emma wanted to bake and decorate a "professional" cake, like the Cake Boss.  

When April arrived and there was only a month left of school, Emma began her project. In the process, the kitchen counter was piled high with all of her cooking utensils, cake crumbs, and icing. Finally, at ten-thirty that night, the challenge was complete; however, Mom had to sweep and mop the kitchen floor before going to bed.

Emma has her head thrown back and is laughing the hardest. "It's not as easy as it looks on Cake Boss!"  

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The cake was taken to school the next morning in a laundry basket. I'm so proud of Emma for not being embarrassed or frustrated with the results. She laughed at herself right along with everyone else, which is a wonderful character trait! Everyone had a piece of cake and all said it was delicious. 😊

     

IT’S TOO LATE . . . IT’S NEVER TOO LATE

by Danna Shirley

Thoughts and phrases swirl around in my head and snippets of ideas come and go.

Just such a phrase popped this morning and then another one right behind it.

IT’S TOO LATE . . .

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE!

One might reach middle-age after leading a hum-drum life,

not accomplishing much or contributing much, and think,

“It’s too late to change; my life is half gone!”

Or one might have made some wrong turns and wrong decisions

that led down some very wrong paths and think,

“It’s too late now; I’ve ruined my life; how can I recover?”

Or one might still be living with their past mistakes

and feel they can’t escape for they haunt and hound them continually.

There are two camps in life where we can set up our tent and hang up our hat:

The I CAN camp and the I CAN’T camp.

What path do you tend to take; where do you tend to live?

IF YOU THINK IT’S TOO LATE . . .

BE ASSURED, IT’S NEVER TOO LATE!

THE DOGWOOD LEGEND

Centuries ago, the stately Dogwood tree proudly reached toward heaven in praise and in supplication. The cross . . . that which bore Christ's body, was hewn from this proud Dogwood tree.

So great was the tree's humility that it grew twisted in agony, gnarled with disgrace, bent and slender in meekness. Its true grain was stained by Christ's blood, forever to remain a living symbol of His pain and suffering. 

On Easter morning the Dogwood tree caught the radiance of New Life and Reawakened Hope, and burst forth in an array of soft white splendor. Four delicate petals in each bloom formed a cross--each edge marked with brown nail prints. A crown of thorns, as He wore, formed the center of each blossom. 

And down through the long centuries of time, the Dogwood tree, with its downy white petals, vividly reminds us of the precious gift He gave on Calvary, and of His promises, which were fulfilled on the first Easter Morning.

FACE TO THE SON

by Joyce Doolittle

I've come to believe that the happiest ones
must be those who view life
with their face to the SON.

Not allowing dark shadows to mar their view
but always plodding onward
peaceful dreams they pursue.

Not tossed or plundered by life's troubled seas
but facing each problem
with dignity and ease.

And when they look back from whence they begun
they'll have no regrets
with their face to the SON.