Last Monday was the final meeting of my Cake Decorating I class. It’s been a long month! Not naturally drawn to baking or icing making, I have found the learning curve steep. But during the climb, I’ve developed a few new muscles…and a few new skills.

I can take a cup of Crisco, a pound of powdered sugar, a little flavoring and water and—TA-DA!—buttercream icing. I can dig into my collection of tips and bags and create shells and stars and, most spectacularly, roses. I can even do leaves!

Of course, my icing is still crumb-laded and far from smooth. My roses are “ruffled” rather than sleek. Teacher says I’m not squeezing the bag hard enough. (Sure feels hard enough!) My colors are still a bit off and the only clown I made (class #3) leaned precariously into the top of the cake.

Still, I was happy with my “final exam” cake. And last night I invited the family over to eat it. Four of my five grandchildren eagerly dug forks and fingers into the ooey-gooey layers on their plates. (Only 7-week-old Knox abstained, sleeping peacefully on the couch.) Brock ate all his frosting first.  Drake shoveled giant pieces into his mouth. Little Isabelle ate more slowly. And baby Mace could hardly believe his good luck as he waddled around the table with a fistful of moist, sugary cake.

If class had been a competition, I would have come in…dead last. The other gals seemed more at home with icing and turntables; they were simply more adept. But I was motivated—hey, this family needs birthday cakes!

I was reading my Bible yesterday when I came across this verse in Jeremiah: “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not” (33:3, KJV). I’m reasonably sure that the prophet wasn’t thinking about Cake Class 101 when he wrote this. But I can’t help but believe that God—the Great Creator—is pleased when we stretch ourselves to be more creative. When we step out of our comfort zones and try something new. The very effort takes on a kind of humility-permeated holiness.

I decided not to sign up for Cake Decorating II. Which leaves me with Monday nights open. I can’t wait to see what “great and mighty” thing I’ll try to tackle next. I just hope it doesn’t involve Crisco.