It was a Thursday, and the Men’s Bible Study would be meeting at our church. The last time they met, I had made sugar cookies from a pinterest find “the best chewy sugar cookies recipe”. They came out perfectly, beautifully shaped, delicious, just as in the pinterest picture. My husband reported the men loved them. I have to say, I felt a twinge of pride as baking isn’t something I get real excited about.
As the cookies cooled I contemplated what I should do. The boys sampled one of the “cookies” and declared them delicious. There was no time to make another batch. It was sink or swim. After texting my daughter and a couple friends for some quick advice, as well as my grandson’s input, I decided to cut them into squares and rectangles and send them with my husband.
He reported back the men went crazy over them, they LOVED them. One of them even asked if he could take a few home. The plate came back with one lone cookie on it. I think no one wanted to take the last one. The next day, I received a text from one of the wives asking for the recipe. Ha!
I later determined the cookies were flat due to my omission of 1 cup of flour (recipe called for 2 ¼ and I had added 1 ¼ ). I viewed the cookies as a failure because of their appearance. They looked like losers, least likely to be successful, an embarrassment, throwaways, failures, not even registering a vote in a popularity contest.
The LORD does not look at the things people look at.
People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7b
As I reflected on the flat cookies and their success despite how they looked, I was reminded that God can use any of us, regardless of our shapes, sizes, or view of our own abilities. People look at our outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. It’s often the broken people of this world, the nobodies, the ones who were NOT voted “most likely to succeed” in high school that God chooses to use. Ask God how He can use you! Ask with a heart willing to serve and wait for the opportunities to unfold.
The Best Chewy Sugar Cookies Recipe
pinterest link: Click here to pin sugar cookies recipe
Thank you for sharing the recipe! Our 8 yr old daughter loves to bake and this seems easy enough for her. Your posts have really been hitting home for me recently (Bloom, be kind wherever you can, ask God how he wants to use you). Being open to his call, especially when we cannot see the good that will come from it is hard but God can see it all while we have limited vision. Your recent posts have been so helpful and encouraging as I step into a new phase of life welcoming my mom back into our home due to a poor health diagnosis. Not a situation ee want but one God can surely work in. God bless you!
ReplyDeleteI love it -- great application to our lives.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
GiGi
Excellent post, Abby!! We all need to see this and be encouraged. Thank you for this!
ReplyDeleteJust the post I needed this morning Abby. Blessings on your day and min istry.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Abby. God knew I needed to hear this verse today.
ReplyDeleteLove this and love you!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this parable about the upside down Kingdom where the small are great and the last are first -- and the gooey cookies get rave reviews!
ReplyDeleteReminds me of a line from the song "Follow Me"
ReplyDelete"If just a cup of water I place within your hand, then just a cup of water is all that I demand..."
Great or small it all goes back to the attitude of our hearts!
Thankful for the talented that use their talents for God, and grateful for the ordinary that don't let their "lack of talent" stop them from serving God in everyday ways!
Really? Because you know there are times when I am low on flour. 😉 Wonderful lesson learned and taught and thank you for the link!
ReplyDeleteThanks Abby! I really needed this. It's a great reminder to just do what the Lord asks us to without criticizing our finished project. Who know who all he will bless!!
ReplyDeleteLoved this post, great word for so many times I have failed at something!
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Roxy
What a great life lesson! It's not how we "look" but how we affect people! Thanks for linking up and sharing your post!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was growing up I wouldn't want to eat something because it was "broken." My mother always answered "You can't eat it whole." The message was clear not to fuss about the way things looked. Still remember her words of wisdom 60+ years later.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness Abby, what a great story! My roommate and I made some peanut butter cookies the other night and were so worried that they would end up too dry. We caught the first batch from the oven right before they were overcooked - SAVE! The second batch tasted better than the first though. Taste is the most important thing. And what an amazing lesson you've shared with us through your pinterest (not) fail and baking endeavors.
ReplyDeleteLove this post! How many times do we have the opportunity to “make lemonade” when life gives us “lemons” ... your story is a great one to remember when we think things haven’t turned out right. Many blessings to you ❤️
ReplyDelete