Cooking & Teenage Tantrums

Hey GEM girls! I'm Elizabeth and I'm excited to be part of the GEM girls team!

When someone mentions a tantrum, you'd most likely think of a two-year-old who's not getting what she wants. But everyone has tantrums, no matter what age you are. We may act a little differently as we get older, but we usually get upset for the same reason as the two-year-old: We want our own way!

One day a while back, I was helping my mom cook in the kitchen. She settled on making biscuits, so I went to get my mom's recipe from the shelf. As I read through it, I decided that the recipe should be different.

"That's not how that recipe should be! I think I know another way to do it," I told my mom.

"Well, I don't know. I've already tested this recipe out," my mom replied.

"But I know I can-"

She went on explaining why my idea wouldn't work. It made a lot of sense, but I didn't want to admit that. "Okay, well, how about I make a batch, and then you can make a batch? We'll see how yours comes out," she said,

And so that's how it happened. I was so excited about my experiment! Everything was going to go perfectly, the biscuits would be the fluffiest, softest, and most delicious biscuits on the planet! Or so I thought.

Unfortunately, everything did not go as planned. My biscuits came out chewy, tough, and salty, while my mom's biscuits were fluffy and delicious. I was so upset and frustrated! If only I had been more willing to listen to what my mom was trying to explain to me!

This was a big object lesson for me. "I just did that to Mom, but have I ever done that to God?" I asked myself. "Has God ever been trying to tell me something, but I didn't listen because I was too stubborn to care?" In Proverbs 16:18 it says: "Pride goes before destruction,

And a haughty spirit before a fall." Oh, the price of stubbornness!

Although my mistake didn't affect me too much, if I had made this mistake with something bigger, like while I was working or in my relationship with God, I could have been in some real trouble! Little compromises can lead to immense failures, no matter what the situation.

So, the next time your parents, grandparents, or a trusted adult tries to impart to you a little bit of wisdom, don't be stubborn. Be humble and willing to accept what they are saying. It may not always be what you want to do, but later on, you may realize that they really were trying to help you! 😊

Do you remember a time when your stubbornness made you mess up? Let me know down in the comments!

Blessings and Love!