{carrots}

For one reason or another I'm finding meaning through food this week. Bear with me folks.

The fall weather had me in the mood for comfort food this weekend, so Saturday I picked up a bag of carrot, a bunch of potatoes and an onion to make some stew (we leave the meat out...we're weird like that).

When I make stew I usually use baby carrots because they are quick and easy. Break open the bag and dump them in the crockpot. Done and on to the potatoes. But with our limited budget these days and the fact that "real" carrots just taste better, I bought a bag of the fresh-from-the-earth, non-manufactured ones.

As I pulled the first one out of the bag, cut off the top, and grabbed my trusty peeler, I remember how much I like peeling carrots. Potatoes not so much, but carrots for some reason I find weirdly therapeutic. I guess it is the satisfaction of seeing something dirty and gnarly become smooth and uniformly orange that offers me contentment.

As I stood there peeling carrot after carrot I became aware of how God is like my vegetable peeler, scraping away all of my sins, and making me clean and shiny again. He forgives me for losing my patience when Ben would rather eat cheese puffs than spaghetti, or when I get frustrated that the boys are splashing water all over the bathroom during their bath. He helps me to take a deep breath and see the beauty in those frustrating moments. He brings me back to what is important.

He doesn't expect us to be perfect. Thank goodness because I put enough pressure on myself to be perfect every second of every day.

*Stay tuned for my next post which might be titled {bananas}. :)