Choices (12/24/2024)

Yesterday afternoon I decided to prepare two pies ahead of the family gathering today. I started with the lemon meringue pie. I was cooking the filling when the phone rang. I didn’t want to answer it because I was afraid that I would be too distracted, but when I saw who it was, I knew I should. I chose to answer it. I am glad I did. It was a good conversation, a needed conversation. I chose well.

However, I was distracted, as I had feared. I realized after I poured the filling into the prepared crust that I’d failed to stir in the most essential and final ingredient, the lemon juice. So, while I was still on the phone, I poured the filling back into the pan, added the lemon, stirred with all my might, and returned the filling to the crust. topped it with meringue, browned the meringue in the oven for 12 minutes, and set it on a rack to cool. As I set it into the fridge an hour later, I admitted it might not be the best lemon meringue I’ve ever made, but it would work. And taking the call was the right choice.

Last evening, my husband and I decided to watch a movie together. When I opened the movie app, “Red-One” was at the top. I told my husband I wanted to watch that movie because I believed it was about the battle between good and evil. He said, “okay.” And we did. It was just what I needed on the eve of Christmas Eve. Not to be a spoiler, but it isn’t an epic movie. However, it did have a recurring line and motif that was perfect: our every choice, our every decision is an opportunity for good.

Last evening, as I reflected on my day before bed, the movie’s motif was on my mind. As I sat, it dawned on me that the LORD makes choices and decisions as well. And I am embarrassed to admit that it never occurred to me until last night – the LORD made a choice, a decision for good, for love, and He sent His only-begotten Son to us as our Savior. And Jesus Christ made a choice, a decision, to follow the will of His Almighty and Loving Father, and He gave his life so that we might have life. And our LORD calls us to choose, to make decision, as He Himself has for good, for love. He asks of us what He Himself has done, choose good, choose love.

Until last evening, I never really contemplated the LORD’s “choosing.” Suddenly, for me last evening, I realized the LORD also has to choose. Crazy. I am 74 and it never really dawned on me that the LORD doesn’t ask of me anything that He Himself has not done. Truly, He is our Servant King. Truly, He is our all-loving LORD. And the “opportunity” of Christmas grew in my mind, in my heart, in my life.

As we go forward, continuing our journey of faith, buoyed by hope, and fueled by love, let us let these virtues inform us as we make our choices, as we make our decisions. May we always choose the loving option.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.