Pizza Night (04/08/2024)

In our home, we have a well agreed upon division of labor: I do the inside and my husband, Ken, does the outside. We’ve found that having our own “kingdoms” keeps us busy and out of the other’s way. But I must admit that there is one time and one question that almost always gets me to step aside and invite my husband into “command central” of my kingdom. When he asks me, “Shall I make pizza?” The answer is always, “Yes.”

This weekend, when I decided it was time to do the laundry, he got lost right after he brought the baskets to the laundry room. About 4:30 that afternoon, he asked me about dinner. I told him I hadn’t figured it out yet. And he asked, “Shall I make pizza?” And I believe I actually said “Yes!” before he got the word “pizza” out, but I suspected that was what was coming.

I can’t explain it, but there is something about his pizzas. I don’t know if he adds something special that I can’t see but my taste buds detect or if it's in his delivery of a plate of pizza, but I do treasure pizza night. At times I have suspected that it is simply the loving kindness that I know prompts him to make the offer because he’ll tell you cooking isn’t his thing. Some days, I suspect, he can see my need before I can, and he does things like that.

His kindness this weekend caused me to consider how well I read the needs of others. The LORD equips most of us with the means to spot others’ needs, a sensitivity, eyes to see, ears to hear. Ken has given me a wonderful example of what I should be doing – reaching out to others on those days when they could use a little help, recognition, or affirmation.

 I’m sure we all have individuals in our lives who do much for us and who would love a simple gift of loving kindness such as a pizza night, a handful of flowers from the yard, a favorite candy bar from the corner market, a written note simply saying, “Thanks, you are a blessing to me.”

How about you? If you had to name a person this moment who has been there for you and could use some loving kindness, who would you name? What would you do or give?

During this Easter Season, let us honor our LORD’s gift to us by looking for Him in the faces and loving acts of others. Let us be willing to do what He commanded of us: Love one another as I have loved you. Let us be willing to step outside our “comfort zone” for another.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.