Don’t Squat in the Rise!

We watched as the mountain of chocolate slowly began to rise. This was going to be the Best. Cake. Ever! Then what to our wondering eyes did happen? Our cake started sinking and was suddenly mishapen!

There are several reasons why cakes squat in the rise. But, why, here on the pages of this health & fitness, overcoming in life blog are we talking about cake?!

Because, I have discovered, there’s an interesting analogy between life and cake. They both are made up of many ingredients and can be quite sweet, but they can also fall flat and be a quite a disappointment.

A quick Google search provides 7 reasons why cakes squat in the rise:

1. Baking too slowly
2. Over-mixing or under-mixing the batter
3. Under-baking
4. Batter is too moist or too dry
5. Cake is moved during the baking process
6. The oven door is opened during the baking process
7. Too much baking powder or baking soda

We’ll start our analogy with the baking too slowly  proposition.  According to the website Cilantro: The Cook’s Shop if the oven temperature is too low or there has not been the proper pre-heating time, a cake will fall.

Likewise, in life, if we jump into everything that is going without any forethought (pre-heating), our life will begin to fall apart. God never intended for us to try and run in 50 directions at a time.

We stick that thing in the oven and take off! Someone gets something new; we want one too. Someone starts a new diet; we’ll try that one too! (never mind that we didn’t finish the first program we started). Their kid just got a new….; gotta get mine one too!  SQUIRREL!!!

There’s no preheating, thus our life does not cook evenly; it’ll be hard around the edges, sunken in the middle, and full of cracks. When the oven is not pre-heated correctly, the process starts at the wrong temperature and things don’t gel as they should. Our decisions need a pre-heating time, or in the words of the scriptures, we should consider the cost; think about it.

Before you buy that new thing, start that new fad diet, or join this or that, W.A.I.T.  Here’s three helpful things to do to pre-heat your next great idea:

1. Sleep on it! If it’s a purchase, leave the store or change the channel. Seriously tell yourself that, tomorrow, if the need/desire is still there as strongly as it was, then you’ll reconsider. Most likely, it won’t be.
2. Ask questions.  If it’s a new “diet” ask yourself some real questions. Why have the other diets failed? More than likely it’s because they are not realistic or sustainable, or worse, totally not good for you. Ask yourself: Is this something I can do forever? A real lifestyle change?  If not, it’s a fad. If, however, it is healthy, not unrealistically restrictive, promise drastic results in a few days, you see others maintaining long term, and you’re ready to commit, go for it.
3. Talk it through with a trusted friend.  Have them go with you to the store; tell them about your idea. Proverbs 15:22 says plans fail for lack of counsel. If they are for you, they’ll tell you the truth. Naturally, weigh their opinion with prayer.