This is not a “restaurant-review” blog; nor do I (often) succumb to my foodie tendencies and saturate social-media with photographs of every vaguely interesting morsel that crosses my path. However, Rebekah and I had such a good experience at The Melting Pot Tuesday evening that I have to share at least a taste of the story.

It started at Christmas, when our daughter Naomi and her husband Craig enjoyed their visit to the North Raleigh location so much that they gifted us with Melting Pot dollars for my birthday in March.

Things have been busy to say the least since then, but this week we finally made it out for the long-anticipated date. One reason Rebekah and I enjoyed the evening so much was how eating fondu fits so well with our dating ethos.

Everything comes at you slowly, and with elaborate explanations; you get to know the waiter (Teddy, by the way, was excellent); the unhurried approach facilitates deep conversation; cooking the food right there on the table establishes a more visceral connection; dipping the food in the same pot is intimate…

Bottom line, we simply love to be together, and our evening sharing fondu provided exactly the right setting to do just that.

The food – dripping cheese, scrumptious salads, a variety of meats, fresh veggies, and then a selection of fruits and mini-desserts to dip in dark, molten chocolate – was of the best quality. The service was superb. The atmosphere was sublime.

The Melting Pot isn’t cheap, but I’d recommend the experience for any special occasion; and for us, just being out together is a special occasion.

INTENTION: I talk a lot about relationships in this space, and I can’t stress enough how important it is to be intentional when it comes to keeping the lines of communication open.This is true when it comes to marriages, it’s true when it comes to children and parents, and it’s critically important for our connection to God.

We can’t take any relationship for granted; yet we do, and we tend to do it with the most important relationships of all.

Love may be patient and kind; not envious, boastful, arrogant, or rude. It may bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, and endure all things. Love certainly owns all those qualities listed in 1 Corinthians 13 – they are essential.

But we must also be deliberate. Love requires intention; and the truth is that more relationships fail as a result of neglect than abuse.

Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. (1 John 3:18)

In love, and because of love – DEREK