Several years ago I traded my UGGS®  for flip-flops and my wool slacks for cotton capries. My husband and I became empty-nesters and decided to migrate south with the birds. I love living in South Florida! I keep in touch with my northern friends and extended family with emails, Facebook, and frequent visits. During the winter months there are times when our home feels like a bed and breakfast! I don’t miss the snowy roads, the icy driveways, or the frigid temps. I don’t miss chapped lips and dry skin. But there is something I do miss—apples! Yes, I know—I can walk into any grocery store or green market and find many kinds of apples. Fuji, Gala, Red Delicious, and Granny Smiths are all there, waiting for me to make my selection. But there are no Northern Spy apples! In fact, many people in the south have never heard of Northern Spy apples.

So let me tell you why I need my Spy apples—they make the BEST apple pie! When I lived in Michigan, they were the only apples I used for my amazing apple pie. Since living in Florida I have made some pretty good apple pies using other kinds of apples. But when I taste the pie, it seems like something is missing. And it is—Spies!

The Bible tells us about an important ingredient, but it has nothing to do with apples. The ingredient is love. In 1 Corinthians 13, it says that I can have beautiful language and spiritual wisdom and knowledge. I can can give to the poor and have enough faith to move a mountain. But if I don’t have love, something is missing.

So I wonder—do I care about adding love to my daily life as much as I care about selecting the right kind of apples for my pie? I would hope the answer is yes.

Lord, please fill me with your love so that everything I do matters–even making apple pies!

Crystal