What’s For Dessert? (01/30/2026)

Last evening, after my husband and I had eaten our dinner, he asked, “What’s for dessert?” I answered, “There are wonderfully crisp green grapes in the fridge, there’s banana bread, or I suppose I could make you pudding.” He looked at me with a bit of a question in his eyes and said, “I suppose I should have grapes.” And I knew what he really meant was “pudding would be better.” So, last night I made pudding.

I’ve noticed lately that we humans don’t always say what we mean directly. I am guilty of it myself. I can’t count the number of times just this week that I’ve said, “I should…” knowing that I won’t because that’s not really what I want to do. I think I’m secretly hoping someone will talk me out of it or propose a better option. Or it could be I’m thinking I get points for considering the good even though I won’t do it. But I know better than that if I’m honest.

Last evening as I pondered the day and my pudding production experience, I had to smile. The Spirit had used the back door again to get to me and to cause me to think seriously about my choices and my habits. He used my husband’s dessert request to get me to look at my own tendencies. That Holy Spirit is clever. Today I am going to work harder at being deliberate, intentional, and honest with myself and about myself and how I’m living my life.

I realized again (I’ve had this talk with myself before but sometimes it takes more than one attempt to correct a bad habit) that I can’t insist upon the freedom of free will without holding myself responsible for choosing wisely. So, today I’m praying that I will be forthright and honest not only with others but also with myself.

As we journey in faith, hope and love, let us remember the LORD’s commands. We are to love well, we are to love always, and we are to let our “Yes” really mean “Yes.”

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.