Read the Directions!

This has to be one of the most often stated mantras in our homeschool. Whether completing an assignment, taking a test, or using a recipe, following the directions can make the difference between success and failure.

One perfect example was when my daughter got on a baking kick. I had recently cleaned out my cupboards and found a baking mix close to expiration. It even had a cool alternative version on the back that she decided to try. After expanding her vocabulary (learned what a ramekin was), she was waiting for the glorious result of her efforts. Suggested bake time was 8-12 minutes so she tried 10. Nearly completely liquid. Added a few minutes...no difference. Added 5 more and they still were not setting up.

So I looked over the recipe and saw that it called for 3 whole eggs and 3 egg yolks. I asked if she had put in the egg yolks. No, she hadn’t. We put in 2 yolks for the remaining batter and they turned out beautifully!

If a recipe fails, I usually review the ingredients and instructions to make sure I didn’t miss anything. The creator of the recipe knows what they are doing. In the same way, when things in life just aren’t working and we feel like we go from one flop to another, it is time to stop and consult the “recipe” for an abundant life.

We have a perfect Author who clearly laid out instructions for living. When we alter them (thinking we know better), or ignore them altogether, we have a recipe for disaster. But God can use those failures to draw us back to Himself. God has a way of folding even trials and suffering into our recipe of life to yield something good.

The next time my own miserable efforts fail, I will remind myself to “Read the directions!”