will cut apples for love

So yesterday was Valentine's Day (or Love Day as my niece likes to call it). You either love it or you hate it. I'm not here to sway you one way or another. I personally enjoy Valentine's Day. I think I was more excited about it this year than ever before. Not because we had huge plans or because I was expecting anything extravagant...I was just excited to spend time with my husband.

Between both of us working and going to school, we had hardly spoken to each other since Monday. So we decided that instead of going out for a date, we'd have a date at home. My husband's the cook in our home, and he does it quite well, so when he offered to cook me dinner, I didn't argue. I enjoy baking (although I'm not an expert), so I offered to make dessert. Of course, he wouldn't give me any ideas about what to make for dessert, so who did I call?

...my mother. The baking queen.

I knew she'd have the answer.

And of course, she did. She told me to make iron skillet apple pie because apple pie is Josh's favorite dessert, and the iron skillet is like his BFF. (It makes him feel like a lumberjack. Heehee.) She assured me that it was easy enough to make and that I couldn't mess it up, so I took her advice obeyed, and went to the store for the ingredients.

Now, listen. This recipe requires apples being thinly sliced. And if you know me at all, you know I'm an accident waiting to happen. I can't be trusted with knives. I've learned to accept that about myself.

When I set those apples on the cutting board and pulled out the giant, shiny, sharp knife, I just knew that our Valentine's Day was going to consist of a trip to the emergency room to have my finger(s) sewn back on. Nevertheless, I started cutting away, and after a couple slips of the knife and a few that-was-close cuts, I was ready to give up. I was standing at the kitchen counter looking at those sour, green, Granny Smith apples and saying, "I don't even like you. Gala apples are WAY better."

Wouldn't he rather have a wife in one piece than a dumb apple pie?! I'm over this!

That's what I thought. And then it happened...

Listen, people. I'm a PK (pastor's kid). It's in my blood to make a sermon out of everything. And when I say everything, I mean everything.

I was standing there...ready to give up on that apple pie... (I sound like such a freak right now. Stop judging.) And then I thought, "It's Valentine's Day, for cryin' out loud! Today is all about love! And if Jesus could die on the cross to show me he loves me, I can cut these apples to show Josh I love him!"

Yep. There it went. Just call me the over-saved Christian. Okay, not really. But sometimes making a sermon out of things really helps you overcome. You should try it sometime.

So I pressed on, friends. I pressed on. I got all five of those apples 'thinly sliced,' and in the oven with a whole bunch of butter and sugar and crust ((hungry??)), and said, "HA! I SHOWED YOU!" I don't really know who I was talking to...but I said it.

And even though this whole story sounds totally insane and reveals the crazy side of me, I really believe it was a sweet (and maybe silly) reminder from God that I am loved. It reminded me what he was willing to do to show me he loves me. I thought about that verse that we aaaalll know but so easily forget:

"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life."  | John 3:16 MSG

Wow. That's what God was willing to do to show us his love. What an incredible gift.

When you don't feel loved or you don't feel like loving, let this be a sweet reminder to you. God loves you more than you will ever know.

And I think we can all be challenged by this verse to be willing to go out of our way to love on other people. Something as silly as slicing up some apples or giving someone a hug or encouraging someone with your words. God didn't give us "whole and lasting life" so that we can sit around and be selfish. He has called us to be selfless and share his love.

So on this day-after-Valentine's-Day, go love on some people! Go make someone an iron skillet apple pie (be careful with that knife)! It'll bless their hearts and their tummies! :)

And don't forget that YOU ARE LOVED.