All about cake

One of the foods I've been doing without for about 7 weeks (except for my granddaughter's 7th birthday party) is cake.  Cake comes in a delicious variety of flavors, icings and fillings.  And cake is one of my most favorite foods in all the world, especially white cake with white buttercream frosting.

Getting in touch with GOD more closely and drawing on His strength and His voice of reason regarding food has, so far, been an interesting journey.  When I first set out, frankly, I did not think I could travel this road for very long. Past efforts to simply "put my fork down" have failed miserably.  The obvious difference is that I am placing my own desires well out of reach and learning to lean on GOD's willpower to make wiser food choices.

I have been pleasantly surprised that I've found the resolve to pray through moments of extreme temptation when cake is available.  I am acutely aware that this is truly GOD at work.  I have been offered cake of several varieties in the past few weeks, and each time I've declined. And as I sit here at the computer, I can almost taste the rich sweetness of white cake topped with buttercream frosting... my heart races at the thought of the momentary enjoyment this food brings me.  I love cake.

{I need to add at this point that I've not been any crankier than usual as I've withdrawn from cake, chocolate and other sugary treats.  Another surprise.  That's an aside - thought you might wonder if I'd been crying myself to sleep over cake-deprivation!  The answer is an emphatic NO.  I have been even-tempered and content.  And, after nearly 2 months, I'm beginning to get this idea that craving GOD is a lot more rewarding than craving food and stuff.}

So, I thought my desire for cake was locked up and the key was conveniently tossed out.  I thought I was not longing for cake. Remember? I've been praying through those moments of temptation.

And then Tuesday night this week I dreamed about... you guessed it: CAKE.  I was not eating the pieces of cake in the dream.  But there they were, already cut into squares (very large squares, I might add) and they were floating in the air around me.  One especially inviting selection was close enough for me to snatch and consume.

In the dream, I did not even attempt to touch the desserts I was seeing.  I did not cry out or scream or pray.  I would guess this dream lasted about 30 seconds (but what do I know about elapsed time where dreams are concerned?) and then it was over.  I escaped unscathed.

I'm not quite sure how to interpret this odd nighttime drama.  I dream frequently and often recall scenes easily.  This is the only one I remember that featured food instead of people.

Made to Crave author Lysa TerKeurst quotes 1 John 2:15-16 in regard to craving:
Do not love the world or anything in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world.

She continues the theme further by discussing how Satan chooses his tactics.  He knows where we are weak. He desires to lure us away from God. And he knows what works - the cravings of the sinful man (woman), the lust of the eyes, and the boasting of what he has or does.

Even the subconscious mind can prove to be my enemy in the battle for willpower!  I awoke from the cake dream all the more determined to turn to GOD for satisfaction and contentment.  The cake I enjoy eating so much is, for the time being, a reminder that the slope is slippery and I could easily slide to destruction.  All for the momentary pleasure of tasting the rich sweetness across my lips.

Today I thank GOD once again for prodding me forward on this road to better physical health and, more importantly, better spiritual health.  It has become somewhat of a game for me to seek and find the word CRAVE in my everyday activities, reading, radio and TV exposure.  And I smile each time I find it, believing that GOD is cheering for me to succeed in my quest.  He knows my heart, my past, my needs, my future... and still He longs for me to draw closer to Him. 

Creator God, I don't quite understand why You love me so.  But I love You back.  Don't give up on me, please.  Help me to crave you completely. And please please make sure that there is lots of cake waiting for me, when I enter Your Kingdom.   Amen.