While Cooking…

I made a complete mess.

I made some chocolate chip cookies for my family. When I finished mixing the dough, I turned the mixer off. While trying to hit the button to eject the mixer attachment, I instead hit the button that turned on the mixer!

Cookie dough splattered everywhere.

I also made a strawberry cake for my family. Instead of following my first mind, which was telling me to use my larger Bundt pan, I instead used the smaller-sized, decorative Bundt pan and some mini Bundt pans. You can imagine what happened. As the cake was rising, it rose right out of the pans and into the bottom of the oven! To make matters worse, I left the cakes in the oven too long while I was making the cookie dough and burnt them…a little! 😜

Another mess! But I am not done!

Icing was all over the wax paper (well that was going to happen no matter what but it was still messy! 🤪).
Flour was all over my shirt.
Dough and flour were stuck in the mixing stand.

I had good intentions, but I just had a “messy” experience.

I was planning to make some orange brownies but got devastated at the mess I was making and the mishaps that were occurring!

Consequently, I gave up!

I just cleaned up my mess and then hoped the cake was still edible. I added a glaze and left it on the counter for them to HOPEFULLY devour. To my surprise, my husband and son said, “It’s still good.”

The cake left quick! The cookies left quick!

Something good still came out of the mess I made.

Have you ever had one of those days where your best intentions were met with issues, fiascos, and blunders? Just a mess?

Maybe it wasn’t in the kitchen. Perhaps it was in a relationship. Perhaps it was at work. Perhaps it was something with which you have struggled. Perhaps you were trying to start something again, but it just didn’t pan out the way you imagined and now you feel guilty or ashamed.

Sometimes we make a mess of things and completely botch things ups. Sometimes it can be fixed and sometimes the result is irreparable damage.

Sometimes we think we have made such a mess of our lives, that nothing good can come out of it! But something good can come out of your situation!

I know someone who can take that mess (mistake) and turn it into a message and a masterpiece.

Jesus.

I am reminded of one such story where someone’s mistake still turned out good because of their relationship with Jesus…when Peter denied Jesus. I found the below excerpt
from https://www.jesusfilm.org/blog-and-stories/is-failure-fatal.html

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Loud and impetuous, Peter was the biggest personality in any room. It’s no wonder that he’d join James and John as one of Jesus closest friends and confidants. In fact, he was the only disciple willing to try walking on the water (Matt. 14:28–29), and was the first to call Jesus the Christ and son of God. (Matt. 16:16)

When Jesus predicts that Peter will deny him, Peter proudly rebuffs him. (Matt. 26:34–35) But that very night after Jesus is arrested, someone confronts Peter in the courtyard of the Sanhedrin and accuses him of being a follower of Christ. And, just as Jesus predicted, Peter denies him three times—the third time cursing his accusers. When he realizes what he’s done he breaks down and weeps bitterly. (Mk. 14:66-72)

Did Peter’s failure exclude him from Christ’s plans? On the contrary, Peter is the first of the twelve that Jesus appears to! (Lk. 24:34, 1 Cor. 15:5) He restores Peter in a touching moment on the Sea of Galilee. (Jn. 21:15–17) And Peter goes on to become the leader of the disciples, preaching the first evangelical message after which more than 3,000 people get saved. (Acts 2:14-36)

Principle: Failure doesn’t disqualify you, even if you’ve been following Jesus for some time. 

Family, we will make mistakes. It is guaranteed!! It doesn’t mean you are a failure. It doesn’t mean you are not loved by God.

Peter went on to be the great leader of the first church! His denial did not disqualify him and neither will our mistakes disqualify us.

If you have turned away, come back to Jesus.
If you have messed up, talk to Jesus.

According to Jeremiah 31:3, God loves us with an everlasting love!

According to Romans 8:39, nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

You are loved…and your mess will turn out good.