Fabulous failure! "Amazing" accident!

I was disappointed. This new recipe sounded so good! Crock pot...butternut squash and apples...raisins.  But I left it too long, and it ended up as a weird mush.  I was tempted to throw it away, but put it in the fridge.  A couple days later, I decided I could mill the "mess" and maybe use a bit now and then in something.

I took it out... milled it...and as I was transferring it to a container, I tasted it...and was amazed!  It was delicious, and tasted just like Apple Butter! (with a very slight hint of the nutritious squash - and sugar-free!).  I was excited, because I love apple butter, and can't get it down here.  Recipes I've come across seem like a lot of work  This was so easy, with few ingredients...and all the result of a "failure"! (The recipe's below, in case you're interested.)
                                     ***********************

On a much grander scale, something like that happened when the steward of a wedding failed to provide enough wine for the guests.  It ran out, and it was his fault! But Grace took over, and Jesus changed ordinary water into wine of such quality that the emcee was amazed!
                      I unwittingly changed a casserole into apple butter. 
                           Jesus splendidly changed water into wine!
                                           ************************
On an even grander scale...a cosmic scale!...something similar happened almost 2000 years ago.  People thought Jesus was going to lead the resistance against the Romans and set up his kingdom.  They were ready to fight and help Him win their freedom! Suspense and excitement!

But what happened?  The Leader of this new movement was killed.  Disappointment washed over their hearts and twisted their gut..  Had it all failed?

Three days later, they saw the result of this "failure"...and were amazed!  When Jesus, the Son of God. walked out of the grave, very much alive, He had put in place the final, crucial, part of a Divine Plan that would bring eternal freedom to anyone who believes in Him.

The result of his "failure"?  It drew me out of MY failure!  He knew what He was doing all along...we often don't! He made no mistake...we often do! What others saw as a failure was a perfectly executed plan of Love, Grace and Justice.
                                         ******************************

The psalmist wrote: "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."  (Psalm 73:26)  So we can trust Him! Remember what He said:

                                   "As the heavens are higher than the earth, 
                                      so are my ways higher than your ways 
                                       and my thoughts than your thoughts."  (Isaiah 55:9)
                 
             **************************************************************************



Accidental Apple Butter
1 not-too-big butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cubed
4 green cooking apples, peeled, cored, chopped
3/4 c. raisins
(opt. about 1/3 c.chopped leek)
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg.
--Mix all in the slow cooker, leave it on High for 5 hours or till very mushy. You may want to tweak it to your taste, as ingredients vary in flavor.
--I puree it in a food mill (so the raisin skins and any stray leek pieces stay behind), but you can try the blender, or food processor.  Keep refrigerated.  So easy!