Sometimes what we plan fails.
I recently heard this story:
In 1930, the hostess of a roadside inn prepared to bake cookies for her guests, but she had run out of baker’s chocolate. She decided to break pieces from a semi-sweet chocolate bar. Thinking the chocolate would permeate the cookie goodness. Instead of melting, the chocolate remained suspended throughout. Like chocolate bits. Or chips. After becoming a local sensation—and eventually spiking sales of Nestle’s chocolate bars—Ruth Wakefield connected with Andrew Nestle and they agreed to print her recipe on bags of chocolate chips.
However, according to The Toast and a WCVB news clip the story is partially true at best.
The facts are nebulous, but there are a few things we can glean from this:
1) Chocolate chip cookies were made popular by care packages sent from the Toll House Inn of Whitman, Massachusetts to service men overseas during WWII.
2) Whether an intentional creation or a “happy accident,” chocolate chip cookies became America’s favorite cookie and remain that way almost 90 years later.
3) There is more than one right way to make a chocolate chip cookie.
4. There seems to be more than one “original” recipe. And from that “original,” dozens–nay hundreds–have evolved. Chewy. Crisp. Gooey. Full of chips. Light on chips. Nuts. No nuts.
To each his own.
Possibilities galore.
So, what does this have to do with “failed plans”?
I wanted to write an encouraging post to remind all of you that sometimes our plans are not God’s plans. That sometimes in life, instead of chocolate cookies, God may be leading us to do make chocolate chip cookies that will change the way others look at the world.
But the story isn’t true.
I fretted for a bit. But turns out, it isn’t about this particular story.
It’s about God’s story. The one where truth wins out. Every. Time.
His truth is true.
When it comes to cookies, or life, sometimes we have to “make do” with what we have. Or, more accurately, show up and allow Him to lead us through whatever may come. I planned to encourage with the phenomenal story of chocolate chip cookies, but instead I share my failed post to the same end.
So, where do we find a “no fail” recipe?
Look to Him whose plans are so much larger than our own.
Have you ever had to rewrite your plans? Make a last minute substitution? Tried something a little different that turned out better than the original?
UPDATE: Want to know which recipe for chocolate chips is “no fail”?
Here’s our family’s take on it: The recipe on the back of the back delivers a crisp, buttery cookie perfect for dipping. (My son prefers no nuts, I liked the hint of pecan.) The Baking Illustrated recipe provided a good mix of crispness and nicely formed cookies. And the “original” recipe found at the link above was very much like the one on the back of the bag. But since I used butter…they were very buttery and spread a lot. If you’re looking for chewy/soft cookies, none of these deliver.
[bctt tweet=”Our plans may not be His plans…So, where do we find a ‘no fail’ recipe?”]
Edited (2/11/19): to create proper links to articles on the Toll House inn
