Overheated eggs

Published 9:39 pm Monday, September 30, 2019

By Ariane Williams

I was tired and not feeling well, but I wanted to get a head start for the next day. I placed 18 eggs in a pot with water and waited for them to boil. In the process of waiting for the eggs to boil, I decided to get comfortable, lay in the bed and work on a paper. Then, I was asleep.

My son came walking in the room with his work clothes on asking me if we were OK. I responded with a “yes” and “why”? He then told me that when he walked into the house, all he saw was smoke. As he followed the smoke, he came upon the eggs that I left on the stove. Eggs were everywhere, and the bottom of the pot was scorched.

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I felt guilty, because the house could have caught on fire while everyone was asleep. That night, I could not sleep. I knew that I still needed 18 eggs to prepare my dressed eggs for tomorrow. I got out of the bed and put more eggs on the stove, but this time, I kept a close watch on the eggs. I was supposed to use the eggs that I bought specifically for the dish; however, I had to use the eggs that I had no intention of using.

I was upset because I felt like I wasted money, yet I could not change the fact that the eggs were in the trash. I was upset because I wasted 18 eggs, yet I had 18 more sitting in the refrigerator. I was upset that the smoke alarm did not go off, yet God sent my son home at the right time to put water in an overheated pot. He sent me what I needed, yet I could not see beyond the smoke.

There was something about that morning that made me alert. While everyone was asleep, I prayed in every room of the house. I kept a watch on the new eggs that were in the pot. I cleaned the house. I dressed the eggs and beautified them Everyone loved the eggs; there were none left.

The burned eggs did not stop the process, but it challenged my perspective and my faith. I may have thrown away some eggs, but I was able to start over. In this season, there are some scorched things in your life that you must throw away. You will be able to start over. When eggs are boiling in the pot, you never see the beauty of the filling until after you have removed the shell, taken out the yolk and mixed with your favorite seasonings. There is a process to get to the beauty beyond the smoke — your destiny.

An egg symbolizes a fresh start in life. While I was upset, I was grateful that I had what I needed to start over. What you need to start over is right in front of you. Starting over allowed me to hear clearly, pray clearly and watch clearly. While I waited the second time for the eggs to boil, I was able to get some other things done. You are just getting some things done right now while your dreams are waiting for the right time to be cracked open.

We tend to leave our dreams in boiling water on high temperature, but we fail to watch it. I never wasted anything; I was flourishing in the process. My spiritual fire alarm now has batteries, so my spirit is alert and ready to take what has been boiling off the stove. Take the time to “dress your dreams.” I forgot to tell you that the pot was not destroyed in the process of burning. It took some time to remove the burnt contents that were stuck to the bottom of the pot. I had to do a lot of scrubbing but was able to smooth the roughness. I am now able to use the pot with a reminder of what once was overheated. Beauty awaits.

Ariane Williams is a teacher, minister, published author and liturgical dancer. Email her at arianewilliams810@yahoo.com.