A Recipe is Just a Guideline.

There are people who are very black and white about everything.  There are people who tend to see things more in gray.  I am one of those people.  As my children were growing up, they heard me say, many a time, "A recipe is just a guideline.  We can substitute or add... if we'd like."   This particular saying lead to what we called, "The Red is Equal Theorem."  Now, mind you, this is an over exaggeration of my substitutions, but basically it meant that anything red could be substituted for anything else red.  For instance, ketchup could be substituted for pasta sauce or a little red paint...I did say this is an exaggeration.  :-)  

It never seemed like a big deal to me at the time, but looking back now, I realize this one simple thing was really a teacher of a fairly big principle.  It taught flexibility. 

Why is flexibility important?  Well, for us physically, it can keep the joints healthy, but that really is a different topic.  In life, flexibility can open our eyes to other points of view.  It can be the thing that keeps us from always having to get our own way.  It helps us to compromise and negotiate.  It can help us to see that often it is more important why someone does something than what the person did.  (Wrong things can be done for right reasons.  People may hurt us, but that was not their intention.) 

For me, especially lately, it has been the thing that has allowed me to roll with the punches life has thrown at me as my life continues to change and evolve into...whatever tomorrow will bring.   Yes, I am prioritizing, but I am open to God's plan.  I want to be in His will for my life.  I will prayerfully focus on my priorities and follow my plans, but I know that things may change in the blink of an eye.  There may be times when I get a little too stuck on me and my way, but ultimately I will do my best to honor God by following him and the path He has for me.  This is why being flexible is an important part of my life and why I'm glad I taught my children that a recipe is just a guideline!