Just the other day I picked up the necessary ingredients, got busy in the kitchen, and worked diligently to stir up a batch of old-fashioned homemade fudge. I measured everything precisely. I followed the directions to the letter. I stirred constantly. I did everything I was supposed to do.

It wasn’t long before the wonderful aroma of the thick hot chocolate mixture filled the house. It smelled great. I finished the product, poured it into the prepared pan, and waited. And waited. And waited. And waited some more. I finally gave up on seeing the gooey stuff set up, I covered it, and put it in the fridge for the night.

The next morning I retrieved the pan full of the prettiest looking fudge you’ve ever seen. I tried cutting it, and it just oozed back together. It never set up. So much for taking it to a family gathering that day. I began texting my sister asking for her opinion and helpful hints. First of all, this was not my first fudge rodeo. However, the results had always been the same. Beautiful to look at. Wonderful to smell. But never set up like it should.

My sister’s kind suggestion was to just pour it in a jar, call it “spoon fudge,” and pretend I meant for it to be like that! So I took her advice, and the jar you see here is the result.

This year is very quickly coming to an end (or may have already, depending on when you see this). The brand new year of 2024 is appearing with all of its possibilities and promises of a grander tomorrow. So my point to this rambling is simply this —

Maybe 2023 didn’t turn out like you meant for it to. Maybe you believe you did everything just right. You followed His direction, you did everything you could to make sure all was right. And yet, it still didn’t set right. Maybe the year looked beautiful, but you feel fooled by how it turned out. My advice to you is to just pour it in a jar, call it something else delicious, and pretend you meant for it to be that way.

The nice thing about my “failed” fudge is that it tastes absolutely delicious! A spoonful of the delectable treat will make you want for more. It’s all in your perspective. I could have dumped the “mistake” and started over or even given up completely. Instead, I came up with a wonderful result, even if it was unintentional.

Maybe 2023 hasn’t come together like you hoped. Aw, fudge! Maybe, just maybe you need to take a different look at it, grab yourself a spoon, and just enjoy the fruits (or fudge) of your labors! You may find that it has turned out so much better than it could have!