COLOSSAL FAILURE

PRACTICE: Recall a mess to miracle in your life.

I am on a quest to rid my home of junk. And yes, I do understand that it might be treasure to someone else. It is junk…stuff that I have held onto for some good reason…I just don’t remember what it was, so, it needs to go.

In the process of this purge, I have discovered photos and notes that reminded me of awesome successes and colossal failures. Finding these things, however, caused me to pause, to explore the emotions experienced when the photo was taken, or the note written and to ponder the ultimate outcome. I discovered, success or failure, each experience produced learning and preparation for something that was to come. By the way, I am preserving the learning and still throwing the junk away.

One of the photos found was taken at a food tasting event. At my urging, my son agreed to participate. I wanted him to showcase his passion for all things smoked and /or grilled. His father and I could no longer be his only test subjects. He had been experimenting with different preparations of pork belly (fancy name for bacon). For the event, he prepared enough of his favorite recipe to feed a hundred plus people. We printed diagrams of the pig to illustrate where the cut of meat came from. We selected a complimenting dipping sauce. I figured out how to creatively display and serve his pork belly. The outcome – those who tasted it, loved it – but many of the attendees could not get pass the name -pork belly. We came home or sent to friend’s home a lot of pork belly. A year later, I finally emptied pork belly into the trash.

My son continued pursuing his passion. Last year he launched his brand, - “Family Gold” -cured bacon… we no longer call it pork belly. Last year I hosted an event in our home. His bacon was the backbone of the menu. Not one slice or cube of the bacon remained, and he sold many pounds. The colossal failure had become a great stepping-stone for what was to come, and I dare to say – necessary.

I have adjusted the lens through which I view failures and successes. Failure, in my humble opinion, tends to be informing. Success tends to be a confirming. Each is to be held lightly and cherished.

2 Cor. 4:16

PONDER THIS THOUGHT – Success and failure are the flip sides of the same coin.