Small and simple...not insignificant

I used to make the best cookies. I don't mean to be boastful, but they were awesome.  Every time I made them, they came out pretty dang good.   Friends, neighbor kids, and acquaintances were often dropping hints that I should make more cookies.  :)  We loved them. But then something happened...we moved.

 

I tried to make chocolate chip cookies again and they were terrible.  The first obstacle I had to overcome was the oven.  The cookies were doughy on top and burned on the bottom.  Not my favorite.  After many batches, I learned that with my particular oven, I had to put the rack on the highest slot (way too high in my mind) to make almost everything finally turn out "normal". 

 

However, "normal" still wasn't great for my cookies.  What had changed?

 

I couldn't figure it out.  The elevation wasn't that much different, I followed the recipe precisely, but my cookies were flat and just didn't look pretty.  The texture was all wrong too. 

 

So, what had changed?  Costco.

 

I didn't have a Costco where we used to live.  (How did I survive?!?)  Back when we were poor college students and newlyweds, I bought the cheapest EVERYTHING.  The cheapest eggs were the medium ones.  The cheapest butter was really just margarine, and the cheapest margarine was Imperial brand. 

 

Costco carries 5 dozen eggs that are pretty affordable as well, but they are large.  Would that make a difference?  I didn't think so.

 

Costco also sells butter instead of margarine, which is healthier, and we could all use healthier cookies...I didn't think these small things would make a difference.

 

So, I didn't change.  Those two tiny things occurred to me over two years ago and I didn't change.  My family suffered through flat, boring, cake-like-textured chocolate chip cookies all for the sake of a little chocolate fix.  And it could have been so much better, but I didn't change.

 

Why?  I guess I didn't want to.  It was easier to buy eggs in the 5-dozen size. Costco didn't stock imperial margarine, and I didn't want to make yet another stop on my shopping days.  It was hard.

 

A few weeks ago, I finally decided to do something about our cookie issues.  I made a wonderful discovery:  Macey's sells medium eggs AND they have imperial margarine.  I made the purchase and quickly went to work.  I knew right away that they were going to turn out different.  The texture of the dough felt right and they looked perfect when they came out of the oven.  I can't tell you how excited I was!   I made over 7 dozen cookies that day and shared with everyone I could think of.  It all worked out how it was supposed to, all by making two small, simple, almost insignificant changes.  But they were significant.

 

This has made me think a lot about how I handle some things in my life.  Am I going through the motions, trying to do things like I have always done them, but unwilling to adapt when things change?  Am I unwilling to change when things are hard?  We are promised in the scriptures "that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass."  Could I make eye contact and smile to a stranger I see on the street?  Could I spend a little more time listening to how the day went for my children?  Could I put a little more effort into coming up with a new Lego creation with my boy?  Can I give my husband an extra tight hug when he comes home and really let him know how much I appreciate him?  There are many times when I am prompted to do the right things...the small and simple things.  When I make the choice to actually do them, the results are amazing!  I want my cookies and my life to turn out the best they possibly can.  Who doesn't?   With the right ingredients, the proper steps, the best intentions, and following through, I know that is exactly how things can be.