Failure or Mistake

Photo by Daniela Holzer (unsplash)

My granddaughter changed her eating to a vegan diet 2 years ago. For her birthday this year I decided to be adventurous and surprise her by making her a Vegan Birthday Cake. The adventure started out well, I went to the store purchased all the ingredients for the vegan cake including what was needed to make the icing for the cake. Once home, I laid all the cake products on the table so I wouldn’t forget an ingredient, as I normally do when baking.

I proceeded to made the cake per the instructions, didn’t miss one ingredient! Finally, all steps done, cake in the oven, now wait for the results! While waiting for the cake to get done, I decided to tackle the icing for the cake! The recipe called for two cans of cold coconut milk (I already had the milk and bowl in refrig). It was a very simple recipe! Pour two cans of coconut milk into a chilled bowl, whip with a mixer for 3 minutes, add powdered sugar, whip 3 more minutes, icing will thicken, then spread on cake. Easy, right? What a flop, the coconut milk would not thicken! I whipped this coconut milk for 20 minutes, added more powdered sugar – nothing! No icing!

My granddaughter was due at my house in 30 minutes and I had no finished birthday cake. I felt like a big failure! I wanted to surprise her with this vanilla vegan cake with white icing and strawberries on top.
While sitting there feeling sorry for myself, the Apostle Peter came to mind. He loved Jesus, followed Him everywhere, but when Jesus needed him the most, he ran and hid. He also denied Jesus three times at His crucifixion before the cock crew thrice. When Peter realized what he did, he cried feeling like a failure.

Jesus knows our heart’s motives and intentions. He doesn’t see us as failures, rather He sees us as humans making mistakes – mistakes that can be corrected. When Jesus arose on the third day, He told Mary “go tell the disciples, and tell Peter!” The phrase “tell Peter” is a message in itself! I believe Jesus was sending a personal message to Peter that means: “Peter, you are not a failure! You are a man that experienced the emotion of fear. I know your heart! Peter I forgive you, now come, I am in need of you!” What a message in those two powerful words “tell Peter!”

Sitting here feeling like a failure, my granddaughter arrived as planned. Unfortunately the icing never made it on the cake it maintained its liquid consistency. Anyway, my granddaughter arrived as stated, she was very surprised that I loved her enough to attempt something I had never done before. She suggested that I drizzle the liquid icing over the cake and put the strawberries on top. She didn’t see the cake as a failure, but a mistake. She saw this cake as one made with love.

Since I don’t like to give up on projects, I decided to make another vegan vanilla cake this Wednesday. For icing, I found a recipe that uses vegan butter. Will let all know how it turns out. Vegan cake part two – Success or mistake!