the apple of His eye...

I know it's technically fall. Most of us bloggers have already welcomed fall and made a big deal about the end of summer and the advent of autumn. Southern California, however, has refused to 'get with the program!' Oh, I thought it had begun... the days are definitely shorter, and the nights had begun to get cooler. Then, all of a sudden this week we're having upper 80's to mid 90's for temperatures!! Summer is holding on with its very fingertips!

I decided to let it still be summer this week by defying the unwritten (or possibly written) fashion rule--I wore a white skirt and strappy white sandals to work today! I know, those of you in the midwest and east coast of the US are probably greatly appalled at my lack of fashion sense! But, well, when it acts like summer, I just continue to dress like it! : )

Nonetheless, I am taking on a bit of a fall theme today ...apples. Having grown up in Michigan, which has many, many apple orchards and very delicious apples, I associate apples with the crisp, cool autumn air and autumn leaves. I always loved to go to the orchard in the fall for fresh apple cider (the stuff in the store just doesn't compare!) and homemade donuts and to maybe catch a hayride through the orchard or watch kids try to find their way through a cornfield maze. Pumpkin patches bursting with pumpkins and corn shalks standing around complete the fall festival feel.

Ah, reminiscing... I can almost smell the donuts and cider if I close my eyes!

Then there is the old phrase about something/someone being "... the apple of my eye." It is a very old phrase, and originally, it meant "the central aperture of the eye." Figuratively, it refers to something, or more usually someone, that is cherished above others. What a beautiful sentiment. Cherished above others. Special. Loved greatly.

I love that God also uses it in the Bible. He uses is about His people, those whom He loves:

In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye... ~Deuteronomy 32:10

The psalmist also used the phrase regarding his relationship with God, how God viewed him...

Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings. ~Psalm 17:8

It was also used in the Bible as a reminder to cherish God's teachings and His commands:

Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. ~Proverbs 7:2

And lastly, God Himself uses the phrase to declare His love for His people... to demonstrate how He holds them/us dear and precious in His sight:

For this is what the LORD Almighty says: "After he has honored me and has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye... ~Zechariah 2:8

I am so glad I am cherished in such a way that God declares His love for me by calling me the apple of His eye! What a delight to be so cherished... I am the apple of Someone's eye!

(and how about these really cool BLACK apples!! They're called Arkansas Blacks...wonderfully unique, aren't they?!)