Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen

"What did you do?" I sat my purse on the table and let out a sigh. I had just walked in the door after working all day.

"Cleaned the kitchen cabinets. The least you could do is say thanks!" My husband stood across the kitchen island, hands on his hips. He had spent his day off work cleaning the kitchen.

"Yeah, but you moved EVERYTHING! The canned goods don't go over there and the cereal should be in the other cabinet. Why would you do this?" I raised my voice in frustration.

I was too upset to see he had tried to do something nice. All I could think of ... this was my kitchen and he was "messing it up". It wasn't that he felt my way was wrong, he just thought his way made more sense. For him, his way was easier and worked out best for him. But, for me, it was like he had taken over what was mine.

I love to cook, I love my kitchen and I know right where everything is ... after his clean up ... I couldn't find anything and I was mad. This was my space. I am the main cook in our family. This was MY kitchen. For weeks after, I would be in the middle of cooking a meal and ... something was missing. A particular pot, pan or spatula. My favorite spice, seasoning or special ingredient. Jerry had really tried to help, but he didn't think about my system. The kitchen was set up in a way that made my life easier, cooking after a long day at work easier and fixing meals for my family easier. The way I had my kitchen "set up" worked perfectly for me and I enjoyed working in my kitchen.

During one of my vents of frustration ... God let me in on a little secret ... that's how HE feels when I take over.

I do that to God all the time. He's the best at what He does. God knows exactly what I need each day. He knows just where to put everything and how to mix it all together so the recipe works out perfectly. But, instead of following His lead and doing things His way ... I try to take over. I think I know a better way to fix things. I think I've got a good idea and I forget to seek His heart first. I plunge ahead thinking it'll be perfect when I'm finished.

Most of the time, I really do feel like I'm following God's heart. But, I rearrange things. I try to make things happen faster than they should. Or, I try to avoid doing things His way because I'm afraid.

At the end of the day, He's right there to clean it up and put things back in order. He doesn't get mad and yell at me in frustration because things aren't the way He left them. He quietly puts everything in order.

How about you ... are there too many cooks in your kitchen?

2nd Kings 4:1-7 "The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the LORD. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves." Elisha replied to her, "How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?"

"Your servant has nothing there at all," she said, "except a little oil."

Elisha said, "Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don't ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side." She left him and afterward shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 6 When all the jars were full, she said to her son, "Bring me another one." But he replied, "There is not a jar left." Then the oil stopped flowing. 7 She went and told the man of God, and he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left."