Archives for September 2024

God Can Make Our Accidents and Mistakes Shine

Sometimes I capture my best photos by accident. I didn’t even realize I caught the cardinal above in flight until I checked the shot later. Woohoo! Gotta love it when accidents shine like that, huh?

Other times while trying to focus a shot, I take the picture prematurely. But every now and then, my mistake looks perfect. Evidently, the camera captures it in mid-focus at just the right moment. I can’t take credit for it, but I sure do celebrate it.

No, it’s not me that makes something good out of my foul-ups. God’s the one who can make my accidents or mistakes shine. And not just where photography’s concerned.

In spite of numerous parenting mistakes, God used my efforts and grew our daughters into the amazing women they are today. When it comes to marriage, God has kept Don and me together through all the ups and downs despite our many shortcomings. He even blesses with shining results in lesser things—like when my baking efforts hit an unexpected snag or when I take a wrong turn.

On a worldwide scale, we’ve all heard about inventions and medical discoveries that happened by accident. The world has benefited by penicillin for years now thanks to one of Dr. Fleming’s petri dishes that got contaminated with mold. God made that accident shine indeed, didn’t he?

Our accidents or mistakes may not have such far-reaching effect as penicillin, but isn’t it good to know that God can take our missteps—and even our sins—and make something good out of them? He is not only a great Creator, he is a great Redeemer as well. He can make us shine. And I sure do celebrate that.

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

*When has God made an accident or mistake of yours shine?

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, will come out in early November. Sign-up is FREE. *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride check out my Books/My Work page.

*My photo

A Chessboard Groom’s Cake!

Mother of the Bride, even though the main wedding cake is pretty much the star of the reception, the groom’s cake can shine too. Just tell your future son-in-law to get creative and come up with his dream groom’s cake idea, and you’ll find a baker who can pull it off when it comes time to find the cake designer/baker for the wedding.

One idea that might fit his personality is a chessboard. Doesn’t the chessboard cake above look sharp? Even the chess pieces can be part of the allure. The pieces here are made of white and dark chocolate. Now that’s the kind of chess game I’d like to play!

If your daughter’s honey is not a chess player, maybe he likes to play cards or checkers or some other board game. Maybe video games are his thing. If so, a good designer can come up with a cake inspired by just about any kind of game.

MOB, share this idea with the groom-to-be and see if it strikes a gaming-chord with him or perhaps inspires another idea. Encourage him to make his groom’s cake choice fun. And if he wants chocolate to play a part, you won’t complain, will you?!

*You might also like to read Groom’s Cake Idea: Law Books (or any other books!)Groom’s Cake Idea for the Wrestling FanGroom’s Cake Toppers for the HunterGroom’s Cake Idea: His Favorite Set of Wheels, and Groom’s Cake Idea: Alma Mater Pride.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride check out my Books/My Work page.

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, will come out in early November. Sign-up is FREE. *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*Flickr photo by jessica.hanrahanCreative Commons License