FOODFORTHOUGHT

PANCAKES AND LOVE

Author Unknown

August 20, 2012

Six year old Brandon decided one Saturday morning to fix his parents
pancakes. He found a big bowl and spoon, pulled a chair to the counter,
opened the cupboard and pulled out the heavy flour canister, spilling it on
the floor. He scooped some of the flour into the bowl with his hands, mixed
in most of a cup of milk and added some sugar, leaving a floury trail on the
floor which by now had a few tracks left by his kitten. Brandon was covered
with flour and getting frustrated. He wanted this to be something very good
for Mom and Dad, but it was getting very bad. He didn't know what to do
next, whether to put it all into the oven or on the stove, and he didn't
know how the stove worked!

Suddenly he saw his kitten licking from the bowl of mix and reached to push
her away, knocking the egg carton to the floor. Frantically he tried to
clean up this monumental mess but slipped on the eggs, getting his pajamas
white and sticky. And just then he saw Dad standing at the door. Big
crocodile tears welled up in Brandon's eyes. All he'd wanted to do was make
them proud. He was sure a scolding was coming, maybe even a spanking. But
his father just watched him. Then, walking through the mess, he picked up
his crying son, hugged him and loved him, getting his own pajamas white and
sticky in the process.

That's how God deals with us. We try to do something good in life, but it
turns into a mess. Our marriage gets all sticky or we insult a friend or we
can't stand our job or our health goes sour. Sometimes we just stand there
in tears because we can't think of anything else to do. That's when God
picks us up and loves us and forgives us, even though some of our mess gets
all over Him. But just because we might mess up, we can't stop trying to
"make pancakes," for God or for others. Sooner or later we'll get it right,
and then they'll be glad we tried...