Yesterday we had a treat at work. We made pie crusts! A whole lot of them.
JoAnn, our family and consumer sciences agent, had a recipe to make 20 crusts
at once. She wanted to use us to try it out before she presented it as a cost
savings for consumers. So Amy, JoAnn and
I worked together to make a big pan of pie crusts, divided them out into
individual balls, put them in bags and flattened them out for the freezer. It was fun and we enjoyed the few minutes it
took. For less than half a dollar a piece we had pie crusts to take home and
use. We pretty much know the recipe will be great because one of our favorite
county pie bakers uses the same recipe!
Working together was so much fun! It divided our work and
gave us an opportunity to talk about our favorite pies, our likes and dislikes
and to laugh together. All of the effort divided out between three truly made
the saying, “many hands make light work” come to life.
Amy and I agreed we would never have tackled it at home
alone. I for one have made or attempted to make homemade pie crusts for 40
years. Although the crust turned out okay occasionally, I would say I never
have been a pie crust blue ribbon winner.
It’s just not been my thing.
As we worked together I realized why my crusts might not
have turned out so good. For one thing, JoAnn pre-measured all the ingredients!
She had all the utensils and the mixing bowl set out and ready for us. She also
had aprons ready to don. She had
measuring cups, measuring spoons and pastry cutters for each of us. She even
had ice water ready on a bed of ice. As Amy measured out the required teaspoons
of salt I exclaimed that it looked like too much. Yet when we taste tested a
little of the dough, any less would have made the crusts extremely tasteless.
The discovery that came to me was that without correct
preparation to begin with you are not going to have a good product. Without
following the directions, created by someone who knows what they’re doing and
has had success, you won’t have the right outcome. The correct components, mixed the right way,
and following directions will make for a great pie. Following directions is imperative. You just
can’t shortcut and you can’t leave out ingredients.
Have you been mixing things up on your own lately? Did you
have an old tried and true recipe for life but figured you could vary it
slightly and have the same results? You may have found that mixing the old ways
of the Word with the new ways of the world actually makes for a tasteless and
flat life. Maybe you've been having problems with waiting on God to answer your fervent prayers so you've tried to throw together your own concoction and you find that it doesn't measure up.
Oh beloved, get out your recipe book, The Word of God and
read it thoroughly! He doesn’t care if you start
over with fresh infilling of ingredients. In fact He wants you to start over
and let Him guide you to the best outcome! His greatest desire is that you have
a Blue Ribbon life! Following His guidance and using His ingredients will make
for your best life ever! God knows your heart and His ways are best. You may
not see it now, but in the end you will discover that He knows you and has
developed a perfect flawless recipe for you. Trust Him today for He loves you.
Let Him take your life and turn it into a magnificent recipe fit for the King
of Kings!
Proverbs 16:20 Those who listen to
instruction will prosper; those who trust the Lord will be
joyful.
Proverbs 8:10-11 Choose My instruction
rather than silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold. For
wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with
it.
Proverbs 4:13 Take hold of My instructions;
don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life.
Psalm 36:9-10 You feed them from the
abundance of your own house, letting them drink from your river of
delights. For You are the fountain of
life, the light by which we see.
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