Reminded

After my post the other day about cooking a memory surfaced. I truly believe that is one of the ways God comforts, guides, and convicts me and this was no exception. Shortly after I posted the entry I was out running errands still feeling pretty down about the whole thing. While I was driving I was reminded of a dinner from years ago. The woman hosting and cooking the main course was a wonderful cook and I wanted nothing more than to impress her and the rest of her family with my cooking skills, but it was no secret that I had no skills. When I asked her what I could bring you could tell by her hesitant response that she didn't even know what a "safe" side dish for me was. She politely asked me to bring baked beans and I was up for the challenge. I googled baked bean recipes, just heating up a jar wasn't good enough for me, I wanted to dress up those beans and impress everyone. My beans were going to be a hit, I was determined! I got my ingredients together and followed the directions to a tee. I placed them confidently in the oven and waited for my masterpiece. When the timer went off I anxiously opened the oven door and pulled out my big pan of beans. They were a burnt, black mess. They looked disgusting and it nearly took a chisel to get them out of the pan. I ended up soaking the pan for days just to get the remnants of my disastrous mess cleaned away. I had no side dish. I was so upset. No one complained, nor do I think they were surprised, and everyone was polite about it. It went down as a "cute", funny cooking story but it bothered me for a long time. It bothered me, but I didn't let it stop me from trying. I may not be a master chef but I'm better then the Amelia Bedelia I was back then. In fact, I'll toot my own horn here and venture to say I'm leaps and bounds from where I was then and I need to remember that. I've decided to attempt at least one recipe a week that would have previously been much too intimidating for me to try it......starting next week though of course ;) (I already went grocery shopping for this week).

I was so thankful for that memory that night and I think I do that to myself with a lot of things. I want to be better at so many things and I want it now. I forget how long things take, how much work, dedication, and practice so many areas of life require. Physically, spiritually, emotionally, and even in the kitchen.....I harvest what I plant. I can't put a grain of rice in the ground and expect an apple orchard to miraculously pop up.

I'm so thankful for His comfort and His teaching.