While Cooking….

I realized I didn’t make enough pudding for a “no-banana”pudding. Yes, instead of making a banana pudding, I made one with just cookies and pudding because my darling husband does not like fruit in desserts. That’s right. No fruit. And he especially does not like cooked fruit. No peach cobbler. No apple pie. If the fruit is not in its original state (or close to it, like a smoothie), it is a no for him… But, I digress. :>)

As I poured the pudding over the cookies, I quickly recognized I would come up short. Upon realizing and remembering this happened the last time, I asked my husband “When I made this dessert the last time, didn’t you think I put too many cookies in the dessert? He said, “Yes.” My son came over to look at the dessert and said, “Yeah mama, there is not enough pudding.” 

DANG!

I was ready to sit down. “Once I put the Cool Whip on top, it will be okay,” I thought. “No worries, it is good enough”, I said to myself. So, I asked the question to which I already knew the answer. “Should I make more pudding?” There was a resounding yes. 

DANG! 

So, I pulled out the sugar and flour to mix it up. I then got the eggs and mixed those up. Then I said, “Oh goodness, do I have enough milk?” Whew! I did. I commenced making another batch of vanilla pudding to complete the dessert.

As I stirred the pudding again, I said, “God, please speak to me. I know there is a lesson in this.” And oh, did God speak…I kept thinking about the fact that I didn’t make enough pudding. While talking to my husband, the question hit me!!

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU COME UP SHORT???

Earlier today, my husband and I had a conversation with our sons because there seemed to be this dark cloud hanging over everyone’s heads, and they were worried about something going on in their lives.

I won’t divulge everyone’s concerns, but to sum it all up, it really boils down to coming up short. We all have a plan on how we will accomplish a goal, but sometimes, the final product comes up short. It just didn’t turn out the way you wanted it to. Maybe you didn’t get the grade you wanted. Maybe you didn’t get accepted into the school you wanted. Maybe the project didn’t work the way you designed it. Maybe your blood work shows your numbers going in the wrong direction. Or maybe you don’t have enough pudding to cover all the cookies. :>)

Sometimes in life, we might come up short. What should we do? Do we give up and believe the lie that this is all there is? Do we say, “Oh well, this is as good as it will get?” Do we throw the whole thing away and say to ourselves, “I should have never done this in the first place! When I did this the last time, I got the same result.” No. Instead, there are three things you should do.

1. Keep Going!!! Make Another Batch! 

Paul reminds us in Galatians 6:9, “Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap a harvest, if we faint not!

Yes, it may require you to use up some additional resources, but nine times out of ten, you already have what you need anyway to finish. And if you don’t, I promise it will show up as you move in faith! I didn’t know if I had enough milk, but I had more than enough!

2. Give Yourself Grace

IT IS OKAY! In this life, we might come up short. Don’t beat yourself up, and don’t join in with the devil speaking lies about and to yourself. I forgot to adjust my recipe and write down that note. It doesn’t make me a bad person. It doesn’t make me a dumb person. It doesn’t make me a failure. It doesn’t mean I should never make another pudding again. It simply means I am human, allowing me to learn a lesson. I wrote it down this time. Either I will use half the amount of cookies for this pudding or double the recipe!

3. Ask God to Speak to You About the Situation

God ALWAYS wants to talk to his children. Still yourself so you can hear from God. Ask Him what you should learn about your situation. Ask Him to give you a new and different perspective on it. If God gives you direction, obey him no matter what. You will always win if you are in God’s will!

So, friend, it may look like you have come up short, but that is not true. Actually, you just haven’t arrived yet; keep going. There is so much to learn. And please, please, don’t forget to be gracious to yourself.

Spicing Up Your Soul

Now there is enough pudding!