©Joy Dunlap https://joydunlap.com
I was living on my own in a one-bedroom apartment and acting grown-up. I’ve never really enjoyed cooking – although I’ve certainly embraced eating, and my waistline shows the effects of that close relationship.
Why I decided to use the toaster oven that day is not in my memory bank. Whatever the reason, the college graduation gift still snug in its original packing seemed like the perfect option. So, I took it out of the box, set it on the countertop in my alley kitchen, plugged it in, turned it on and headed out of the room. I planned to come back in a few minutes to put the food in.
The acrid smell and the haze of smoke drew me back into the kitchen. As I rounded the corner, flames spiked inside the toaster oven as smoke billowed out of it.
Was it an electrical malfunction? Would the sprinkler system go off and ruin all the furniture? Should I handle this like a stovetop fire? Throw baking soda or salt on it? Where was the fire extinguisher? Unsure, I ran out the apartment door and yelled for help.
A good-looking neighbor I didn’t know raced up the stairs. (Some of you right now are thinking I planned that). He quickly opened the oven’s door and doused the flames.
Then, much to my chagrin, we both saw the reason for the fire.
I had cooked the instruction booklet.
Scorched pages and pieces of printed words lay on the metal shelf with ashes underneath.
Now there are lots of life lessons in this embarrassing story but you’ve already figured most of them out.
• Look before you cook.
• Know the right way to put out different fires.
• Open the instruction book – first.
• Call for help when you need it.
• Laugh at your mistakes – and learn from them.
It all goes back to the instruction book. If I’d chosen to look at the information provided by the manufacturer on how to operate the appliance before I acted, I would have realized the problem and prevented the fire.
But, I was too independent to need guidance and too busy to take time to read it.
The Bible is God’s instruction book to us, but if we never – or rarely – open it, we find ourselves fighting fires in our lives without the assistance we need. We can create or escalate our own difficulties and dangerous conditions by not assessing situations and choosing appropriate actions – and reactions.
By the way, do keep a kitchen fire extinguisher readily accessible. Remember, don’t put water on grease fires or electrical fires. Keep baking soda and salt handy for grease fires.
And, my personal tip – never turn on a kitchen appliance without checking inside first.
You’d think I’d learn, but several years later while rushing to get ready for an event for over 40 people at my house, I plugged in a borrowed catering-sized, coffee server — without looking inside. Turns out my friend stored the coffee basket in the bottom of the appliance.
It melted.
Do you know what burned rubber or plastic smells like? Windows up. Candles lit. Difficult to disguise the stench.
More stress. Less time. Money out to replace coffee server for friend.
Consequences.
Unfortunately, some lessons end up being learned more than once.
What life lesson do you remember learning the hard way?
Is there a situation you’re in now that is inflamed because of an action you took – or didn’t take? How can you help diffuse it?
What instruction have you received – from the Bible or a family member or friend – that has helped you avoid trouble?
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy: 16-17 NIV
Remember…
Life is Better When It’s Full – Joy-full, Thank-full, Purpose-full and Friend-full! ™
https://joydunlap.com