Cupcakes and Church

Today I stopped at a small bakery to buy myself a treat. I chose a mint chocolate cupcake; mint is one of my favorite flavors. The cupcake was smaller than I expected for $2.50 but it was probably a good thing, I really didn’t need the calories of one the size of a soup bowl.

The cupcake looked so pretty. The frosting was tinted green and it swirled up and up. Mini chocolate chips dotted the mountain of icing.

At home I prepared a large cup of hot chocolate, I added mint extract. I was going to saturate myself in chocolate and mint.

I removed the cupcake from the plastic container and peeled off the liner.

With fork in hand I sliced through the mound of green icing down into the chocolate beneath. I slid the forkful into my mouth, anticipating the burst of flavors and moistness I was sure would be there.

My brain signaled something was wrong. My expectation of a moist, light cupcake was dashed by the denseness of the treat. I tasted something that didn’t seem right, so with my next bite I only took cake and what I was tasting was...bread. That stumped me…how could a sweet treat taste like a loaf of white bread.

The artfully applied frosting was a disappointment too. I couldn’t distinguish what kind of shortening/butter/margarine it was made with but it had a heavy consistency.

I finished the cupcake but found I got more enjoyment from my cup of hot chocolate.

Just as it would be foolish of me to decide to never purchase a cupcake from any bakery ever again because of one disappointment wouldn’t it be foolish for someone to never attend any church again because of a hurt or disappointment experienced in one church. Yet this happens over and over.

If this is you or you know someone who has taken this stand I hope you will share my cupcake story with them. There are many churches, just as there are many bakeries and I’m sure there is at least one bakery that will have cupcakes I will swoon over.

Give God another chance this Sunday, try another church, see if the texture and flavor fits your needs and desires.