Good intentions and burned meatballs

TRUTH: I burned grape jelly meatballs last night…they smelled delicious, they looked delectable, but hidden under that yummy grape jelly- chili sauce glaze was a burnt shell of nastiness. With that disgusting taste of yuck, the hopes I had in a dinner of ease and no complaints from my littles was crushed…my intentions were right, but my end result was gross and not at all what I expected, and the thought of a joyous dinner gathered around the table quickly vanished, and the stress of finding an alternative piled on –HEAVY.

This was not how I wanted dinner to go…what transpired was exactly what I was trying to avoid. My daughter is a picky eater, and she loves grape jelly meatballs (Don’t judge, I realize this is not a main course food, but when you have a picky eater- you triumph in finding something they will consume without a fight, and you run with it). This was a meal planned with her in mind, one that I just knew she would enjoy and find satisfaction in, but my plan didn’t work. I made a mistake. I felt like a failure, and I was upset.

You ever have moments like this? Not meal planning, but planning in general…

Maybe something like –

Planning the perfect date with your spouse, only to find at the end of it you are exhausted by the endless fighting of the day.

Planning the perfect surprise for a loved one – and someone mistakenly unveils your hard work at the last moment.

Planning a project at work and when it comes time to roll things out you find things aren’t going to work as expected.

Planning your finances intentionally and then your oven goes out and throws your budget out of whack, leaving you feeling stressed to the max and scrambling to find funds for a new one.

OR…what about those plans we make when it comes to our walk with God.

We grow in our faith and experience a moment of conviction, and acknowledge existing sin in our life and we make up our mind to overcome it, but sometimes our plan doesn’t end up working, and we slip up and lose the battle that we had originally set in our mind at the beginning of the day to emerge victorious over at the end.

Failure happens – It happens– it happens more often than we would like to admit. Thankfully, however we experience moments of grace. In my dinner experience -my daughter was gracious she didn’t throw a fit because I ruined one of her favorites, she simply replied, ‘Mom, I think my tastes have changed.’ And when she said those words I couldn’t help but burst out in laughter, and think to myself, ‘Mine too!’ Her gentle words were exactly what I needed to hear to help lift me up letting me know it was ok. Grace is a beautiful thing. A demonstration in which our Heavenly Father offers best of all as He beckons us to stand back up and try again through words such as:

Psalm 37:23-24

If the LORD delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

Psalm 145:14

The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.

Proverbs 24:16:

Though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again.

Though he falls…He rises again…He doesn’t sit there sulking in his good intentions turned out bad…He doesn’t get stuck there in self pity and defeat. He gets back up in confidence to try again.

We all try so hard to portray perfection, but truth be told we are far from it. Take comfort in the words of Proverbs 24:16 today, and pray to the One who will help you get back on your feet and try again.

I wonder…Where are you today? Have you been knocked down in a moment of failure? Are you overwhelmed in the letdown of what you hoped would happen and the reality of what actually is?

If that is you, I want you to know you are not alone. Our loving Savior is right beside you waiting for you to ask for His help to try again.

Lord – Your word acknowledges that we will fail, and your word encourages us to rise again. Thank you for loving us in the midst of our failure, and thank you for your grace made new every day.   We see our failure but rather then stay there, we make up in our mind to choose you. Help us today. Reach down your hand and help us to stand again. In Jesus name we pray.

Amen.

Choose Him