The pies arrived at the contest.
I didn't actually go to the contest myself. Another friend who also submitted a pie for our ministry came over and picked mine up before taking them. I think it was a good thing that I couldn't be there. I probably would have been too snooty and competitive with the other bakers, anyway. So, she came, and we prayed that God would bless our pies, and then off she went to the contest.
She said that all the other pies were gorgeous. Criss cross pastry crust, designs in their pie crusts, even an angel on one of them, some set up on pedestals, lattice work....need i go on?
And then there were ours. Both of us had these basic apple pies. Just your regular apple pie. You know, crust overtop....no lattice, no designs...just the basic layer of crust overtop.
As my friend stood and talked with some of the other contestants, she began to hear how they had all baked "trial" pies over the weekend. And saw how they described the different ways that they each had made their pies beautiful. And then she saw our less than gorgeous pies. Our little, humble apple pies. The most humble of them all. And not to mention the judges. One of the judges was a National Champion Pie Baker! My friend began to see that we clearly did not have a chance.
She waited as I waited. I knew that the contest would start "promptly at 1 and be over by 1:30" as it had said in the information sheet. I watched the clock and waited. And yes, prayed. Prayed, not to just "win", but to have the blessing of the money to be able to bless the kids in our neighborhood. I mean, if we won both 1st and 2nd prize, that would be close to a year's budget for our ministry...we could really do some neat things...not to mention that we've been praying for a bus for quite some time.
As I was trying to get my daughter ready for dance class, the phone rang, and I rushed to answer, knowing that it would be her calling. On the other end of the phone I hear it...
"Melissa, we won! We won first and second prize!! We won $1,500!!!!"
It's pretty amazing. We told the kids this afternoon and they squealed in such delight. They couldn't believe that we won that much money. And that God would want to bless our ministry with that kind of money to help them. It was a way that I got to see how much He cares about the "least of these". And even when you come in last, you can still come in first.
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8 comments:
that is SO amazing!!!! congratulations!! :) and it was so fun to see you....;)
YAHHH! Way to go! I didn't doubt for a minute that you could win, especially since you are the dessert queen or should I say dessert police.
OMG-congrats, dessert snob, what an amazing victory for you and the kids of Glenwood! Ok, so now all you have to do is let everyone else have a bite of that yummy apple pie!
Love you,
Whit
it was so fun to tell the kids. to them, that's like a million dollars! it's neat to see the Lord blessing them through something as simple as apple pie! i'd be happy to make it again, and actually get to try it!!!
I am super impressed. You have got to be so proud. Hey you need to hit the circuits for baking competitions. I want to see you on Food TV. How awesome for the kids to see you doing something that is tangibly going to affect them, like getting a bus, eventually. You have no idea how much that can impact them to try things in the future!
Did you take a picture of of the pie? Do you get a ribbon?
I don't have a picture...I know, sad. And before we get too carried away, let me clarify...I won 2nd. But, I do have a RED ribbon hanging in my kitchen. It was fun!
no way!!! that's so awesome. you should write a book about all of these cool life events you have on your blog...maybe title it "God Uses the Simple Things, Even Apple Pies." i enjoy reading your posts. :-)
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