When I was around 13 years old, I met a girl that temporarily lived by us. She had just graduated from high school and I was fascinated by her. She kept her shoes polished, with OxBlood colored shoe polish, that I thought was beautiful and she could bake the best chocolate cake I'd ever tasted. Joann gave me the recipe and I took it home and told my Mother that it was the best cake I'd ever tasted. My Mother was not happy with that remark! I have baked that cake every since. 5 children+my husband have eaten and requested that cake over a span of many, many years.
Today we celebrated Terry's birthday with one of our son's. At Terry's request I made the cake. He and our son were so happy to see that cake! Truth be told...it tasted fine but it looked awful. Why? It was like I was stumbling and bumbling and it probably looked more like one that I made at 13 than my current age!! It's not a fancy cake. Probably a recipe off of a Crisco label in the '50s. Just a plain chocolate cake.
When I pulled the file card, with the recipe hand-written years ago, it was so old that I could barely read it so I recopied it. In looking at recipes, I saw my old delicious pie crust recipe that read... 1cs 1-1/2 f 1/2t s 1-1/2 f 2-3TCW. As if it was coded but back then it was in my mind and I could give it to you anytime you might ask!
and then I saw my bread recipe that read- water, oil, honey, salt, yeast knead 10/ rest 15 jog rest 15 jog rest 15. I made that bread once a week and never even used the recipe. It was in my head. I knew all the ingredients and how much was needed and how to handle the dough and oven temperature and baking time. It was in my memory. I would always remember it. So I thought.
Eventually I stopped making bread when the children were all gone. Then in an effort to become self-sufficient, use wheat commodities stored and increase healthy eating, I decided to try it again. We were both wanting some of my homemade bread. As RSP, at that time, I really wanted all of the women to know how to make a loaf of bread and a pot of beans. I felt like they could survive if needs be. This seemed the perfect time to do bread making again.
So Terry and I gifted ourselves a Santa gift that year and got a new mill and a new Bosch. I was stunned to realize that I couldn't just make bread from memory anymore! I could not remember measurements or any details. What was once second nature to me was gone. It wasn't quick and easy as it once had been. I actually needed a recipe! I was thankful for my shorthand recipes!! My bread wasn't always looking like I wanted it to but I persevered and regained adequate skills. I can now make a decent loaf of delicious wheat bread.
Today my cake fell! I had baked it in a 9x13 pan so I cut it in half and frosted and turned the top layer and held it in place with toothpicks on corners and tried to even it out. My friend Carol can bake a cake blindfolded, I bet! She does them all the time. She bakes and sells them. She brings them to every Ward event and we all love her cakes! She keeps those skills, that talent, that ability honed. She never loses that ability because of her consistent effort.
Just like the Gospel isn't it? If I don't keep endeavoring to do the basics I slide backwards. If I don't strive to practice living the standard acts, of expected obedience, then the Holy Ghost just leaves and I feel dreadful. BUT no matter how messy or botched up I make of my daily life, there is always hope from the simple act of just trying things over and over, practicing and living until being religious in my faith becomes as natural, at least in basic aspects, as breathing.
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