Do you remember the first thing you ever cooked? For me, it was cornbread. My Mamaw Girdle/Myrtle taught me how to make it. I was so excited since cooking was a rite of passage to me. One I almost failed.
After I got the hang of baking cornbread and frying okra, I was ready to make my favorite dessert: chocolate cake. I knew my mom had a big box of chocolate cake mix in the cabinet. Wanting it to be a surprise, I waited until she was gone to work one evening to make the cake all by myself. I imagined her walking into the kitchen and seeing this beautiful iced chocolate cake. She’d eat it and tell everybody what a wonderful cook I was and I didn’t need anybody to help me.

The first thing I did was to grease the baking pan and put flour on it. Well, I got a little carried away with the flour and the grease. There weren’t the cooking sprays that’s available now. Following the instructions on the box, I added the cake mix, oil, and eggs into the mixing bowl. Then I used our electric hand-held mixer. After I started blending the cake batter, I couldn’t remember if I had turned on the oven. Did I turn off the mixer before I checked? Nope. As I turned to see if I had turned on the oven and to what temperature, I lifted the mixer out of the bowl. Cake batter was slung onto me and all across the kitchen. It was on the cabinet doors and the floor. There was even some on the ceiling.

I was so frustrated and mad at myself for not thinking before I acted. Using paper towels, I tried to clean up, but I ended up smearing most of the mess. I knew I was going to need a strong cleaner and do some scrubbing. Not having a lot of time left, I decided to finish cleaning while the cake was baking.
The last thing to put in the batter was the chocolate that was in a plastic bag. I simply couldn’t resist to eat a little of it, so I dipped a tablespoon into it. Expecting to taste yummy goodness, I slurped all of the chocolate off of it. I’m talking the spoon was clean. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t realize that it didn’t have any sugar in it yet. I literally gagged. Once I gulped down two glasses of water, I mixed the chocolate into the cake batter. Finally, I shoved what was left of the batter into a pan and into the oven.

Then I stepped back and looked at the messy kitchen. Honestly, it looked as if a cake batter bomb had exploded in it. Also, the sink was now full of dirty dishes. I wanted to cry. How would I get all of it cleaned up before my mom got home? About that time, she walked into the front door. She was surprised all right, but not in the way I had planned.

“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” John 15: 5 (KJV)

There are many things we want to attempt to do on our own. While that is normal, to truly do something to make a difference for the Lord and in the lives of others, we need Him. Without Him, we just make a mess.
There are probably some people who may not attempt to cook again or wait for a time after an experience like mine. Not me. I got right back into it, but I knew I still needed some help when I cooked. As for my mom, I don’t know what was worse, helping me clean the kitchen or eat the cake that was coated with flour on the bottom.

Brooke Cox is an author, speaker, and storyteller. She was a 2016 Selah Awards Finalist for Debut Novel. Her children’s book: “Dinosaur Eggs,” is now available. It is based on Ephesians 6: The Armor of God. Her novel “Until the Moon Rises: A Conniving Cousin Mystery” is also available. Also, she has two books out in her storytelling series: “Saucy Southern Stories.” The Amazon links for her books may be found on her website: brookecoxstories.com. Please feel free to contact her. She would love to hear from you.