Life Is What You Bake It

In mid-September, I decided to bake up a new recipe. It has taken a while to decide to share it, mainly because I did not know if I had the ingredients right. Then I read Philippians 4:6-7 and knew the final ingredient I had forgotten was truly the missing link. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts, and your minds in Christ Jesus." 

Life is What You Bake It 

 

Upon a shelf sat a mix I had made up,

And it was time to get rid of it, cup-by-cup.

So, into a bowl, 

I stirred in a cup of sin, yellowed with age. 

Next, I added a cup each of bitterness, anger, and rage.

This needed to be cooked today-

Gotten rid of without delay.

Next, I added milk, eggs, and flour. 

This was not my finest hour,

For the batter was not as expected;

Something needed to be corrected. 

That this recipe was going to fail,

was among my fears, 

So, I added in a cup of liquid tears. 

I considered for a moment 

What I may have skipped?

A quick taste, I dipped. 

Maybe, if I added a cup of prayerful flavor, 

This cake would be something to savor.

But it needed more

To remove the bitter taste of the sin.

I quickly reached for a nearby tin

To sprinkle in some peace, love, and joy. 

I surmised, 

This would help the cake to rise. 

 I mixed, stirred, and beat- 

Hoping for the perfect treat. 

Finally, I coated a pan with oil of repentance,

And baked the batter at 350 degrees 

And waited in unease. 

Standing in place, 

A smile lite my face.

It was rising before my eyes,

To the perfect height and size.

But something was bothering me

And wouldn’t let me be.

As the cake sat within my gaze,

I remembered, 

I had forgotten to add-in the praise. 

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 9/15/2025

 

     “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every 

form of malice.” Philippians 4:31 NIV

Heaven

Heaven and what it will truly be like remains somewhat a mystery to me! I say, “somewhat” because I am given hints of what it will be like in scripture. When I read Dr. David Jeremiah’s Turning Point devotional, he gave scriptures of what Jesus said about heaven. I looked them up and found: 

 

In Luke 23:43, Jesus said Heaven was “Paradise.” 

(meaning an ideal place)

 

John 14: 2 Jesus called Heaven, “His Father’s house with many mansions” 

(meaning a luxurious dwelling place owned by God)

 

Luke 23:43 Jesus called it, “The kingdom” 

(meaning a country ruled by a King) 

 

Matthew 6:20 Jesus said it was, “A place where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieve do not break through nor steal.” 

(meaning a safe place) 

 

I also remember what is written in Revelation 21. I looked at it again and found more details about Heaven: 

 

It will be new.

It will be holy.

It will be a tabernacle with God on His throne.

It will be a place of no more tears, no death, no sorrow, no pain.

It will have foundations are of precious stones- jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, sardius, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprasus, jacinth, and amethyst.

It will be a city is of pure gold, clear like glass.

It will have gates of pearl and the street is of pure gold, transparent as glass.

It will be filled with the glory of God and the Lamb with no need for sun of moon; Their glory will lighten it.

It will be a place with no need for night.

It will be a place where nothing will walk within that will defile.

 

With this image set before me, my desire is that all choose heaven over hell. In hell there will be eternal suffering with fire and brimstone. It is actually an easy path to choose heaven. Just obey John 3:16, “…Whosoever believes in Him (Jesus) shall not perish but have eternal life.”  

Alway Available

     I was traveling and had gotten half-way to my destination when I realized I had forgotten my laptop. This was semi-huge, since I like to continue my writing when away from home. However, I took consolation in the fact I had not forgotten my cell phone. Had that been the case, I am sure I would have made an immmediate u-turn.
     How many of us have actually done that! Most everyone is attached at-the-hip to their cell phones. As the saying goes, “Don’t leave home without it!”
     After saying all this, I never have to worry about leaving home without God. I admit there are times I forget about Him, but He always rides beside me, walks with me, and is waiting and ready to listen. He “sticketh closer than a brother” and He “will never leave me.”
     Should I forget my Bible, I have stored up within myself some truth that the Holy Spirit can bring to mind because I have read and hidden His Word in my heart. I have it available at just the right time. 
     God and His Word are not only with me at all times, but He stands waiting for me to introduce Him to any new-comer. Three is never a crowd. Jesus is a friend of all!

Five Senses

I am so glad I have the five basic senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. These all allow me to perceive things around me. It is important, however, how I choose to make use of them. 

     Jesus said in Luke 8:8, “Whoever has ears, let him hear.”

     Then in Mark 8:18, He told His disciples, “Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear?”  

     In several scriptures, I find I am not to touch what is unclean. I must stay away from what will make me sin. 

     In Proverbs I find I need to use my tongue for more than taste, “Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.”

     As for my eyes, I find that I need to follow the fruitful growth of the Spirit to prevent myself from becoming blind and nearsighted. 2 Peter 5-9 says, “…make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind,forgetting they have been cleansed from their past sins.”

     Oh Lord, I pray! Let me consider Your ways! Let me decipher the words I hear according to Your Word! Let me not be deceived when I look in mirror. May I see a woman filled with Your ways and Your love for others - not the ways of this world.

Keep On Praying

In the Daily Hope devotional, the author talks about praying in the Spirit at all times because we always get answered prayers; however, not in the way we often want. He gave four ways we get answers and explained them as “No-Grow-Slow-and Go.” I decided to take these thoughts and form them into a form of poetry. Here goes: 

  

Keep On Praying 

I prayed today,

But God said, “No!

That I will not do,

For it’s not the best for you.”

 

I prayed again,

But God repeated, “No!

I want for you to grow.

Be patient, still pray;

Make Me your pursuit, every day.

 

I prayed once more,

And heard, “No! Grow!

Just take it slow.

It’s coming but not here yet.

In time you will get.”

 

I continued in my prayer

Until God said, “GO!

Today, it is not ‘no,’

Or ‘grow’ or take it ‘slow’.

It’s ‘Go!’ and show My glory

Within your story.”

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 10/1/2025 

 

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Ephesians 6:18 NIV

 

 

Miracles or God-Wink Moments

Everyone loves a good miracle! I often call some of mine, “God-wink” moments. I am encouraged when I think about the many, many miracles found in scripture. I like to review them in my mind from time-to-time. There was: 

 

The world-wide flood

The parting of the sea

The calming of the sea

The healing of the sick

The raising of the dead

The feeding of the 5,000 

The water turned to wine

The ones saved in the lion’s den

The breaking of the nets with fish 

The walls that came tumbling down

And…Too many, many more to name….

But… The greatest of all was the resurrection of Jesus, my Savior. 

 

I know, without a doubt, there are miracles occurring today, and I know, without a doubt, my Savior lives today!

 

One

I couldn't help but think about the difference one person can make in a life when I observed the beauty of one single flower that budded out really too late for an expected  bloom in fall.

ONE 

 My Clematis vine was going dormant on the trellis,

But one blooming flower popped out, zealous.

It was snowy white,

Stunning in the sunlight

Against leaves turning brown in their flight.

One lonely, lovey flower

Blooming forth in all its power.

One and only one-

Shining forth within the sun!

It was eye-catching,

With not another one on the vine, 

It's beauty matching. 

This single, lovely flower, 

Though small,

Stands out tall

Amid the surrounding, dying leaves of fall. 

In comparison, 

It may only take one

To make a difference for God’s Son.

It may only take one to show a smile,

To go the mile,

To speak God’s truth,

To make a difference in a youth.

It may only take one

To help God’s work get done.

It may only take one to be magnified, 

For someone, 

In Christ. 

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 9/28/2025 

"The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever." Isaiah 40:8