It Looks Delish...but what about the taste

The Brownie Parable :)

 

Unless you are not fond of chocolate.....I  think we all would agree that theses look pretty yummy.

Sometimes when I am at work I enjoy breaking up the long hours with a little cooking.

Yesterday was one of those days.

Before I left the house I packed up--butter, sugar, vanilla, flour, eggs, cocoa powder, m&m's and malt balls.

Really...who could go wrong with those ingredients?

 I threw all of the ingredients into a bowl and then into buttered  pie pans. I preheated the oven...put the brownies in and set the timer.

Soon the place was filled with the smell of chocolate.

While the "pies" were cooking I pulled out the cocoa and powdered sugar in order to make some icing.

I combined all the ingredients in a ziploc bag and added a little vanilla and half and half.

The timer went off and I pulled out two lovely looking pans of brownies.

While the brownies were still warm I cut a tip off the ziploc bag and drizzled the icing all over the brownies.

After a few minutes of cooling I cut into the brownies and put a slice on a plate.

It looked great...the texture looked a little more like a cake than fudgey brownie. I prefer my brownies a little more dense..but it was chocolate so I was fine with it.

And then...I took the first bite....

Oh my goodness!

It was disgusting!

I took another bite just to make sure......yes, still disgusting.

I work with another lady and told her what I thought...I told her she could check it if she wanted to...maybe I was just being an overly critical cook.

Nope....we both agreed...not edible.

Why?!

All of the ingredients added belonged  in a brownie recipe.

Were did I go wrong?

Unlike some of the dishes I just throw together that come out great....to get a great pan of brownies you need to follow a great recipe.

Throwing ingredients together did not work for me. The texture was mealy and it tasted like cocoa powder. 

 

Ever taste straight cocoa power? 

Not nice is it?

I could go on and on...but here is the bottom line.

Many times in my walk with God I figured that if I threw all the right ingredients together..out would pop the perfect little Christian.

My recipe looked like this---

Time in prayer

Time in the word

Keep a journal of all the neat verses I come across during reading time 

In church every time the door was open

Take notes during the service

Do a Bible study

=

One great Christian woman.

 Nope.

On the outside I must have looked pretty good....

the inside was not looking the same.

And those who got close enough noticed the outside was not what was filling the inside.

Why?

I was doing all the right things.

That's right....I was doing it.

Just like those brownies...there was nothing wrong with the ingredients added...but the proportions are very important.

A knowledge filled head does not guarantee a wisdom filled heart.

Each time God shares a bit of knowledge with us...we must then go through a training time.

We become an apprentice.... one who is learning by practical experience under skilled workers a trade, art, or calling

If this does not take place....if that new word is not given time to sink into the marrow of our bones...we are in danger of becoming puffed up with knowledge.

If this is the case....when people get close enough to taste of our lives....I am afraid the flavor is not going to draw them back for more. Or worse yet...they begin to wonder why they should follow the same God.

We have become the "brownie" that looks delish....but the real us "tastes" horrible. 

Today I am taking time to savor the Word. You could say I am making sure I chew quite a bit before I swallow. I want to receive all He wants to give me. And then I am going to pray that that word becomes a part of me. That just like food is energy for the body....His word would become the only fuel that fuels all activity in my life.

Dear God let me consume only the word for today. Give me this day my daily bread. Let me know when I have gotten a word that needs to be slowly savored.

Make it nourishment for my whole being.

Let that nourishment bring health where death has ruled. Let it clean my heart, my soul and my body.

May the meditations of my heart and mind be pleasing to You. 

Savor the Word!

:)

 

Be Strong and Courageous.

Good Morning ladies...yes, it has been awhile. :)

Three plus months without internet...much frustration on my part...much work on Gods part. 

God has been very busy in my life breaking some heart muscles that had become very hard. I would love to say that I did not realize my heart had become that way....but each passing day God was allowing me to see just how hard my heart had become. 

Did I like being that way? Yes and No.

Why yes?....because it kept me from having to deal with any more emotional mess. I just shut down. Do you know the feeling? It is a safe place to be...or so I thought. But after a while... life began to feel like I was trapped in a maze of tunnels located under a dungeon. I was beyond miserable.

It was cold...dark...and it stank! My heart was cold...my sight was dark....and my attitude stank! 

Time out of His light does not allow for growing things. 

 I began to imagine myself standing before God having to answer for having buried the gifts He had given me. Memories of sweet times spent with Jesus began to play themselves over and over in my minds eye. Those memories brought comfort for a bit.....but soon they sparked deep anguish. I knew I had missed so much time with Him. I missed Jesus. I missed being used by Jesus. He was calling. But the strong emotions would come and go and soon I would find myself heading through the door back into the dark.

I was unwilling to bend my knee......... God was not finished breaking me yet.

My time there would not be wasted.

Times in our lives are never wasted when they are placed in His hands.

Sometimes it takes courage to place ourselves in His hands and be willing to move forward. Sometimes when your heart is freshly broken....and you can't stand yourself any longer... you willing look into His face and cry out for help. He smiles tenderly...wraps you tightly in his arms....peace descends. It is good to be home. :)

This morning the Spirit had me turn to the first chapter of Joshua. If you have the time I would encourage you to go and read what our God told Joshua. Joshua was in a position he had never been in before. Moses was gone...and Joshua would be leading the Israelites on the next phase of their journey. Joshua was in need of a word....and our God gave him one.

Be Strong and Courageous.

 Can you imagine how Joshua felt being told that Moses was dead and that the job was now his? Maybe that is why God gave him the same message four times. 

 Be Strong and Courageous.

I think God knew that Joshua was going to face many times when he would be tempted to run....or when he was just fed up and wanted to run. I have been there..... and I was not guiding a huge group of people. :)

Be Strong and Courageous.

This week no matter what you are facing.....the God of Moses and Joshua is with you. If your name has been written in the Lambs book of Life....you are sealed with the Holy Spirit. He will never leave you or forsake you.

Be Strong and Courageous.

This week spend I am asking God to continuously bring this section of scripture to mind....join me if you would like to.

Joshua 1:7-9

⁷ “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. ⁸ Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. ⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” 

Love you! We are on this journey together....He is with you...and your sisters are here for you.  Be strong and Courageous!