The Best Ever Banana Cake Misadventures
Stay tuned though, as they say, and I hope to have more about that, someday soon......
In the meantime, there's much to be said about the slower pace of summer. Fewer alarms ring, fruit falls off the trees before we get a chance to eat it, and my favourite... longer evenings equal walks through shaded streets with my Beloved!
In the early days of this year I baked a family favourite, Marble Swirled Banana Cake. Marbled with chocolate of course! Is there any other kind? That's it, up there. Photo-prettied by my dear daughter as we watched it cool on the bench. After we all sampled a piece, I packed it into the car for a quick weekend trip to Phillip Island.
That night, my family declared it the BEST banana cake I'd EVER made and before the sun had set, half this cake and most of our milk had been gobbled away. If you're a cook of any kind, you will know how good this feels... as you smile and tuck your cake under it's blanket of plastic wrap.
Not good, was how I felt the next morning, when I discovered the kitchen swarming with ants, all celebrating the New Year, in and around my best ever banana cake.
Gone. Lost.
Destined for ruin even before it had a chance to live a second day. Plans to feed my kids more of this deliciousness, disappeared as quickly as it took to push the remainder off the plate and out the back porch.
I watched as seagulls made a meal of the spoils I had not fashioned for them.
But not to be completely lost, the cake lesson served its purpose. More spiritual than culinary, I realised afresh, not all our plans will eventuate as we imagine. One day we will receive accolades for a job well done, the next, we will bury our mistakes. Some plans will bear fruit, others will die unexplored.
Our plans should never sit in a cold slab of stone. God knows infinitely better how things should turn out, and He has plans of His own for us too.
We can, and should, plan. But we must commit all things to Him and be prepared for the course He allows. It's in our best interest. He is, after all the BEST at making things happen as they should!
'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord.
'Plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'
Jeremiah 29:11
