What A Mess!

 This morning one of my fears came true! As I lifted my husband's delicious casserole out of the oven about five minutes before it needed to be served at the Little Haven (our outreach to lonely people), the dish somehow slipped and half of it splattered all over the floor. Thankfully I didn't completely drop it and the bottom half of it stayed in. I looked in shock and horror at the mess on the floor and the ruined casserole as my husband came in to see what the thud was he had heard. As he took in what a mess I had made of his meal, all he said was, "It's ok. We still can still eat what's left in the dish. Just as well we have two casseroles!" He didn't see the need to state the obvious and make me feel worse than I already felt. He also didn't explain to anybody as he dished up the meal why one of the dishes was only half full. He didn't see the need to embarrass me. He didn't expect me to come out and eat with the others as I usually do, as I was still feeling too upset. What he did do was to come out to the kitchen later and help me with the dishes!

I learned a few things from this small nightmare!

1. Accidents happen to everyone.

As a mum, it was good for me to get a taste of how awful a child feels when they are trying to be helpful and they manage to make a mess of things.

2. How my husband reacted to me is a perfect example of how I should react to my children when they accidentally break something or mess things up.

There is no need to state the obvious and make a child feel worse when they already feel terrible. Accidents can happen even when you are careful. There is no need to embarrass them by telling everyone what they did. Also, if they are feeling upset, give them some time to get over it.

3. Keep things in perspective
It could have been much worse. We had more than enough food so it didn't really matter. Even if it had been our only dish, we could have brought takeaways if we had to. It's so easy to over react to things that don't really matter. 

I pray that I remember these things next time it is someone else who made the mess or did the damage!

Be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:32