October 10, 2009

• Today was a cake delivery day.Yesterday was cake disaster day. This lady ordered a cake, she wanted it to be poka dotted like the invitation. Nothing else, no writing, just polka dots...it was an easy order. I just made it harder. I didn't pay close attention and burned cakes. I got distracted and dropped cakes. I even baked a cake in an oven that I turned off after I put the cake in. Then, I messed some icing up and instead of fixing the problem right then, I thought I could make it work...and caused myself 10x more work and had to fix the original problem. Why is it that when we know what we need to do, we don't? We think we can compensate for it until it's obvious that fixing the problem is the only option left. I stayed up until 2:30 a.m. on a cake that should've been done in no time. Next time I'm going to focus on the job at hand and handle problems like I know I should. Here's the end result.

  

  Buttercream with fondant accents. Can you tell that the cake is silver?

  I haven't mentioned what a sweetheart Mattie is. My God, I'm so in love with my little girl. I love picking her up and cuddling her. I love her little inward laugh that she does. I love watching her smile at her Daddy and her brother. Mattie has such an easy going demeanor. She is so special and life is better because of her. I wonder when I look into her big blue eyes that are framed by dark, long eyelashes, and dark eyebrows who she'll grow to be.

  My friend posted this great post. I snagged it from him to share. It is just that great:

  Reins, Ropes and Rifles

  Reins, Ropes and Rifles

  My Daddy used to say that the best way to communicate your message was to “tell them what you are going to tell them; tell them; tell them what you told them.” That seems like good advice for this blog today.

  I am going to tell you two very important things.

  This is as normal as it gets. Stop waiting for things to “get back to normal.”

  You are in charge of your life.

  There are some things about being a cowboy that make you look at life very differently than many folks do. They are not, unfortunately, permanent lessons. I keep relearning them day by day. In an effort to bring these lessons to my mind more often, I have tied them to things that come to mind, and hand, so that I have daily reminders.

  Reins, ropes and rifles are all very different things and they all have different uses, but I use them all to accomplish one goal.

  Control.

  Reins help you to control your horse. You had better never forget that you are in charge because the horse has other plans. You forget that you are in charge and you will find yourself in an untidy heap on the ground. You have the reins of life in your hand, too. You are in control.

  Ropes are the handiest thing on a ranch. I have roped cows, horses, bulls, dogs, and hogs. I have repaired fences, made temporary gates and moved down trees with nothing more than my lariat rope. Most of the time, those things were not in my plans. If I planned on fixing a fence I would have brought tools and barbed wire. There are better materials to make gates from than braided rope. Trees are better moved with logging chains. But if you are a cowboy, you learn to expect the unexpected. Let me put that a little differently. You need to predict the unpredictable. We all need to be prepared for these curves life throws us. Instead, we often moan about how we wish things were normal. Ask any cowboy, busted fences and gates is normal. So is carrying a means to fix them in an emergency. Whatever you are going through right now? That is normal for you right at this moment. Deal with it. You are in charge.

  Odds are that most of you never touch a rifle. I won’t spend a lot of time on this one. I will tell you though that sometimes a cowboy can get three miles from the nearest phone and the nearest neighbor. Cell phones have changed that for some. =) Everybody in the country keeps their ears tuned for three shots from a rifle. That is kind of the country boy’s 911. A rifle is best because it is the loudest.

  What I am telling you is that your situation is normal for you right at this moment. I am also telling you that you are in charge. You can choose what action to take. You have the tools that you need to make this situation better. One of those tools is kind of like my rifle. You can call for help. I promise that someone is listening and will come to find you.

  I told you what I was going to tell you.

  I told you.

  In closing, let me tell you what I told you.

  This is as normal as it gets. Stop waiting for things to “get back to normal.”

  You are in charge of your life.

   

  See? Wasn't that great? It's so true.

  Love to you all!

  • 7:46 pm
  • 7 Comments