This is good because...

Tonight, in an attempt to cultivate creativity (and possibly avoid some things I needed to do), I set out to try a new recipe, Cream Cheese Pound Cake, with my brand new Kitchen Aid Mixer. My mom graciously surprised me with this beauty last Saturday, and this was going to be my first time to use it. While I really had no purpose in baking this evening, I needed to try out a recipe request for Thursday. Needless to say, I was excited and even texted the pic below to my mom and sister, knowing they would want to share in this occasion with me.

With my music cranked up (you know, so I could dance while baking), each ingredient was added just as the recipe instructed. Before long, all of the ingredients were combined in the mixer and ready to be poured into the bunt pan. But wait. What is that silvery film on top of the batter? After close inspection, it was apparent that I did not wash the attachments thoroughly enough. What was once the batter for a delicious pound cake was now nothing more than trash, all thanks to some pesky metal flaking. Definitely a far cry from what I had planned in my head.

I am not sure if you are aware of this or not, but things do not always go as planned. It may be more accurate to say things rarely go as planned. Anyone with me on that?  If you read the Best of 2016, just a little late post from last week, then you are well aware of my year not going quite as planned. And, as you can see, 2017 already has its fair share of Wait, that's not how I pictured this (insert event) going moments.

In a conversation with a dear friend and coworker a couple of months ago, I flippantly mentioned one of those major events that didn't quite go as I expected. In all her wisdom and with a genuinely sincere heart, she looked at me and said "And this is good because...", waiting for me to complete the sentence. I am not sure how I responded initially... I can almost promise my facial expression communicated Um, NONE of it. Didn't you hear my story? How is any of this "good"? I imagine I gave her a ridiculous answer and moved on with my day, thinking nothing more about it.

Later, I found myself sitting in bumper to bumper traffic on my way home from work. As frustrations arose, along with my blood pressure, I heard her words And this is good because... in my head. While everything inside me wanted to bang the steering wheel, yell at the drivers that clearly had no control over our current situation, and gripe about how long this was going to take, I found myself re-framing my thinking, This extra long drive in traffic is good because... I get more time to listen to my audio book. I was no longer ready to lose all control, which would be frowned upon in traffic. Instead, I chose to enjoy the extra minutes listening to whatever book was being read to me at the time.

While what actually happens in place of our plans IS important. Our reaction to what happens is just as, if not more, important. Our reactions determine how and if we move forward. Our reactions determine if we sit paralyzed in our disappointments, often refusing or unsure of how to get back up, or if we allow ourselves to grieve, heal and move forward one step at a time. I know some of you are experiencing impossible disappointments and hurtful situations right now. I know some you are reading this and thinking, how is any of this good? Sometimes, depending on those changed plans, we cycle back and forth between being able to get up one minute and having no clue how to move the next. If you're like me, you need to know that good has come of something that may seem completely unbearable without it.

After a much needed time of healing and restoration, I think I would answer my friend much differently today. Are there still twinges of hurt and pain? Absolutely. Are there still moments of confusion and questioning? Yes. However, I can now say all of those things that didn't go quite as I planned in 2016 were and are good because...

• they have brought me to a place in my relationship with the Lord that I would not have been otherwise. 
• I can finally see they were not HIS plans for my life but were my plans. 
• I have learned so much about myself, my family and friends, and my God since those plans all fell apart. 
• in a time of deep hurt, those same family, friends, and God sat with me, cried with me, and loved on me in ways I will never be able to understand. 
• after experiencing hurt and loss, I have been able to see the pure joy and beauty of the people and things around me.
• and on and on and on. 

As for the mishap with the pound cake... This is good because it brought me right here to you and maybe because I didn't end up "testing" half the cake to make sure it was good enough for Thursday.