Every fall my stepdad, Kitten, would go to the mountains to get apples.  He would come back with his truck full of boxes of apples and pumpkins, then he would give them away to everyone he came in contact with.

He would always get a box of seconds for me. These are apples that couldn’t be sold with the other apples because they have an imperfection.  Sometimes it is obvious what is wrong with the apple: black spots marking up the red skin, or a large brown blemish.  Some apples, though, look perfect on the outside.  You don’t even know there is anything wrong until you cut into it and see the deep bruise or the worm.

My mom is carrying on the tradition, and she made the trip to the mountains a couple of days ago.  She came back with a box of seconds for me.

I thought they looked pretty good!

The reason I love seconds so much is because I know that, even though they may not be perfect, second apples are the best.  They are sweeter and juicier and just…better.  I once read that apples with a blemish are better than perfect apples, because the tree sent all of it’s extra nutrients to that apple, trying to save it.

So I take my second apples and peel off the blotchy skin and cut out the bad spots, and viola! I have  a pot of beautiful apples.

I make applesauce that doesn’t even need any sugar because those second apples are so sweet.  And the next day, I take part of that applesauce and make apple butter.  It is fantastic.

When I was standing in my kitchen peeling and coring this morning, I kept thinking how I am like a second apple, but God uses me to make something good, anyway.  I have my fair share of imperfections, things that may even make people turn from me or not accept me, but God doesn’t see those things.  He sees my heart. He wants my fruit to be good.

Romans 8: 28 assures us, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

God has to work on me, that’s for sure! Just like I have to spend time at my kitchen sink with my box of apples, cutting away spots that are bad so only the purest parts remain, God is constantly working on me, making me better, giving me the sweetest life possible.

He’s a good, good Father.