Six-year-old Brandon decided one Saturday morning to fix his parents 
pancakes. He found a big bowl and spoon, pulled a chair to the counter, 
opened the cupboard and pulled out the heavy flour canister, spilling 
it on the floor. He scooped some of the flour into the bowl with his 
hands, mixed in most of a cup of milk and added some sugar, leaving a 
floury trail on the floor which by now had a few tracks left by his kitten.

Brandon was covered with flour and getting frustrated. He wanted this 
to be something very good for Mom and Dad, but it was getting very bad. 
He didn't know what to do next, whether to put it all into the oven or 
on the stove, (and he didn't know how the stove worked)! Suddenly he 
saw his kitten licking from the bowl of mix and reached to push her away, 
knocking the egg carton to the floor. Frantically he tried to clean up 
this monumental mess but slipped on the eggs, getting his pajamas white 
and sticky. And just then he saw Dad standing at the door. Big 
crocodile tears welled up in Brandon's eyes. All he'd wanted to do was 
something good, but he'd made a terrible mess. He was sure a scolding 
was coming, maybe even a spanking. But his father just watched him.

Then, walking through the mess, he picked up his crying son, hugged him 
and loved him, getting his own pajamas white and sticky in the process. 

That's how God deals with us. We try to do something good in life, but 
it turns into a mess. Our marriage gets all sticky or we insult a friend 
or we can't stand our job or our health goes sour. Sometimes we just 
stand there in tears because we can't think of anything else to do. That's 
when God picks us up and loves us and forgives us, even though some of our 
mess gets all over Him. But just because we might mess up, we can't stop 
trying like Brandon to "make pancakes," for God or for others. Sooner or 
later we'll get it right, and then they'll be glad we tried.

Author Unknown