Spoke Too Soon

It’s funny. My cooking I’m talking about. Maybe not funny. More like pathetic.

Ronald does probably more than half of the meal prep at our house. He’s a good cook, has mostly nothing better to do than piddle in the garden, read a book, or watch television, so all is well.

But I get in moods to make meals occasionally, and the other day was such a time.

I got up and made a hearty breakfast. I won’t say what it was lest some say, ‘Oh, dear! No wonder y’all are so fat!’ But it was very tasty, and I didn’t burn a single thing.

Lunch time found me using lettuce from Ronald’s garden and the wonderful cilantro he grows as I whipped up a delicious taco salad. So far, so good.

By supper, I was bragging on my successful cooking exploits. Seriously! I told Ronald how pleased I was with myself. I hadn’t had a disaster all day!

I definitely spoke too soon.

We often have something breakfasty for supper, and I decided a few pancakes would finish our day with just the right touch. I even decided to add a bit of cream cheese to the pancake mix to make the concoction a little richer tasting.

Then the trouble began. I guess I didn’t adequately oil the griddle or have it hot enough to start the process. Things went downhill from there. When I tried to flip the pancakes, those rascals stuck like there was glue there instead of oil!

Ronald helped me scrape the first batch of pancakes free, and we tried it again with a little more success. Working together, we made enough for our evening meal.

As I set the table, I bragged. ‘Well, at least I haven’t spilled anything all day! That’s good, right?’

As I said those very words, the entire glass of tea I was placing on the table tipped, crashed onto its side, and spewed tea all over the table and onto the floor.

We ran (aka hobbled, waddled, limped) to the cabinet and laundry room for towels and proceeded to diligently clean up my mess.

Ronald is such a trooper! He helped scrub the area then ate my pancake experiment without a single word of complaint.

I wonder how often my self-satisfaction, aka pride, gets me into trouble. How often does my gung-ho attitude have me bullying through things rather than moving and even thinking carefully through the activity first? Even while doing routine chores, I need to try to avoid what Mama called my ‘bull in a china closet’ syndrome.

Of course, my clumsiness led me to try to find justification for my awkwardness. But alas! No verses were to be found that I could misconstrue to help me feel better about the situation.

But there are plenty of places in the Bible talking about our spiritual actions, and I hope I am more careful in my spiritual walk and actions than I am in the physical realm.

Ephesian 5:15-16 NLT says, ‘Be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.’

Ephesians 4 is a chapter chocked full of wisdom as Paul begs his readers to ‘live and act in a way worthy of those who have been chosen for such wonderful blessings as these. Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.’ Ronald is definitely on the ‘good guy’ side of that as he has always been understanding and considerate of my clumsiness.

Though my physically uncoordinated actions may not change for the better, I pray my spiritual actions will be ‘holy and good.’ (verse 23) Verse 29 raps up my thoughts for today. ‘Say only what is good and helpful to those you are talking to and what will give them a blessing

So

May you all have a blessed day with as few missteps or accidents as possible! And I pray that for myself as well!

Blessings

Kara Beth