11 Cups of Water

 Benjamin looked at the boxed cake mix and decided he would surprise everyone and make a cake. He had seen how effortlessly Whitney had done it. It would be easy. As he began to pour the mixture in the bowl, then eggs, then came the water. 

It read 
1 1 / 2 cups of water; 

and his inexperienced eyes told him that he needed 11 cups of water, wondering why that “/2” was there---so onward he poured; cup after cup of water into that bowl---until Whitney walk up and asked

 “What are you doing?” 

She saw the box alright, but didn’t understand why he was pouring all that water in the bowl! When she discovered his misunderstanding of the numbers, she proceeded to take as much of the water out of the bowl and the cake was saved. Benjamin will not make that mistake again!

It seems that the zealousness of youth tends to these kinds of mistakes. Excitement to serve and desire to please the Lord has us more often doing much more than required. We end up having many a mess, but our gracious Heavenly Father saw our hearts, and He came alone side, and took out all the unnecessary ingredients. Our young eyes were looking more intently at the “box” than to Him to understand the box.

Each cup I poured, I knew was vitally important for what was going to be offered up to Him. In the end, the cake was still made, the mess was cleaned up, and I learned a valuable lesson with Benjamin about how I look at things.

So what side of the kitchen counter are we on? Do we criticize or come along side? When Whitney saw the mistake of her brother, she was reminded of the mistakes she had made. We all remembered the times when her baking projects totally flopped. Now, we are thankful for what the mistakes have taught her!  It would seem that we all learn in this walk of faith, as we do, watch and wait. May our lives be a testimony of not only what the Heavenly Father is calling us to do, but what He sees we will be!

Benjamin is now 18 years old. :)