The way the cookie crumbles

I love to bake.

There is nothing better than taking recipe for cookies or cake and actually accomplishing something crave-able.

I have perfectly perfected my chocolate chip recipe: the secret is to let the dough rest for 24 hours in a fridge and then bake them. The other major secret is to cool on the sheet on a cooling rack for 1 minute and then get the cookies off the baking sheet onto the cooling rack by themselves. If you don’t do this then the cookies will continue to cook and will not remain chewy.

I am getting better with cupcakes- I’m not into baking a whole cake, maybe when the kids are older. Also I can do bread when I am patient and have good yeast- one Thanksgiving the yeast was old, though I had just purchased it that week, and it never reacted to the sugar and flour to rise the bread.

Also I am working on my macaroons- I think they are almost perfection. I love to dip mine in chocolate because chocolate and coconut is yummy.

My fudge is smooth and creamy- though I realize that there is no baking involved but still.

So after doing all these things- why can’t I make sugar cookies?

Seriously every Christmas I try various recipes and techniques to make a delicious and decorated cookie to give to people for the Holiday season. Alas every year they never work. Completely frustrating the entire process becomes. Even the pre-maid sugar cookie dough doesn’t work for me.

I think this happens a lot in our lives. There are always things you wish you could do but just can’t for various reasons. I would love to be able to quote passages from books- but I have never been able to remember the exact line. Even my favorite book, The Great Gatsby’s famous green light line I can remember exactly. I am a terrible speller without a spell check (seriously how did the world exist before spell check, and yes I know what a dictionary is thanks.) My house never stays clean and I am a really bad stay-at-home mommy. I never know when to stop a conversation; I think people find it annoying.

All of these things are minor in the large scheme of life, but it is still frustrating when something that other people do so well, so easily is something that eludes you. Like that girl you know who always looks amazing- she gets the shoes and the hair and the jewelry right on. Those people frustrate me.

In our culture of practice makes perfect when does it comes to the point where you realize no matter how many time you try something it will never work out? I could probably make every sugar cookie recipe on the planet but it will never been quite right. Is it this moment that I realize I can quit trying to make sugar cookies and move on to oatmeal? Or do I keep going towards the goal of a perfect cookie?

This cookie metaphor mirrors what is going on in my decision making about my upcoming bachelor’s degree. I realize that I am getting my associates in August but I really need to decide quickly because I have to actually apply to schools and also financial aid. It is becoming a real obsession because I don’t want to make the wrong decision. I actually spoke to one of my pastors yesterday about my concerns. He told me I could make no wrong decision about this I just have to make one. Other people I have told me I should go where my passion is.

I’ll keep everyone informed. It seems like such a silly problem with so many in our world right now.