Oh, Hello Again.

Please picture me peeking my head out from behind something large with the intention of speaking to you. Then picture me seeing you, becoming embarrassed and hiding behind said large structure again. That's basically what I have been up to for the last month. Every few days I realize that I have not written a blog in quite a long time. I will log on to my blog, open up a new file and think to myself, "I haven't written in so long, I'm sure my readers are disenchanted. I'll have to write something truly superb to make it up to them." And then I realize I have nothing to say that is superb enough to win you back, so I run away again. And here we are, one month since my last real blog.

I suppose you may be wondering what I have been up to that has so distracted me from you for the last thirty days. And for once, I have an answer: I finished my first semester of college. The last month was somewhat of a trying one. In everything it was a period of simultaneously feeling that I had altogether too much time on my hands and altogether not nearly enough time. Which I suppose probably meant that I had just the right amount.

This was a month of finals; final papers to write, final projects to create, final exams to study for, but through it all I baked. You might think this was an unwise use of my time. If so, you would probably be right. Most days went about the same; I would look at my homework, and decide my room needed cleaning. Once my room was clean, it would probably be a mealtime. Once I had eaten, I would look at my homework once again. I might do a little work on it, but more likely I would just become overwhelmed and run to the kitchen to bake something.

Baking is such a lovely thing. If ever you are feeling insecure, I highly recommend it. It starts out fairly simple, and it stays that way. You stir a list of ingredients together in one large bowl. Then you transfer them to a tin or pan of some sort, pop them in the oven, and when you pull them back out there is something beautiful and edible and sweet. It is a perfect reassurance: you can accomplish something great in only an hour. Because I live in a dorm this is followed by the further assurance of everyone swarming to eat the baking. This month I made many many batches of cookies, assortments of brownies, muddy buddies/puppy chow (not technically baking but still delicious), and of course lovely, lovely cupcakes. My compulsive baking has earned me something of a reputation in my dorm; every now and then as I pass someone in the hall they will squint at me as though trying to call to mind why they recognized me and finally remember, "Oh yeah, you're that cookie girl."

Baking is so easy to love because for so little effort I get so much reward. And it is so like the love that God has for us, because with no work on my part, no acts of greatness, he still loves me. Romans 5:8 assures us, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." God demonstrated his love in the greatest way before ever we looked toward him. This love is so beautiful, and so sweet, I cannot help but crave it.

Truly His,
Caroline