Cupcake Conversations

I have a friend. Actually, I have a couple of friends who just happened to like each other. They were talking--nothing too serious when things started to go downhill. Communication lines were broken, things were assumed and the relationship was a bit stressed all around.

Well, She decided that something needed to be done. He was acting distant, She didn't like that and wanted to fix it. So She made him cupcakes--his favorite. She put them in his room without telling him and never said a word about them. Well, He wasn't too observant that night and didn't find them until hours later when a friend told him that they were on his bed. He read the short note attached to them and while he was very appreciative, didn't really know what to do.

The cupcakes hadn't said much except, "Do you like my baking abilities?" (which the answer to that was an emphatic, "YES!") But they were meant to say so much more. They were meant to fix a multitude of problems, they were meant to patch broken communication lines, they were meant to alleviate the stress of the relationship...they didn't. The relationship ended soon thereafter. Sad story.

Too bad it happens everyday in a much more serious manner. A lot of times in my life, my communication with God will become stressed/hindered. Something will come between me and Him and our relationship will get a little rocky. I, in my stupid humanity, often come up with these wonderful solutions to fix the communication problem. I'll think, "Ooh Jesus likes it when I give money in the offering!" or, "I KNOW, Jesus wants me to work at a soup kitchen!" So I'll give a little bit more, hoping that my contribution will fix the communication problem. I offer things without any explanation. I bring my gift to Him and then turn and walk away without any words spoken.

Well, that's not going to fix anything. Profound, I know, but lack of communication is fixed by communicating. Bringing my cupcakes to God and expecting them to fix my problems is ridiculous. Instead, I need to offer me--all of me. I know that one action or one conversation isn't going to fix everything...but I'm willing to work through it.

God, I'm here to talk it out...and I brought cupcakes...