Inspirational Tomatoes

Today is the Double B's day off. He was off this morning mowing the lawn for some friends that are out of town -- because, you know -- he's the Double B. He is now mowing OUR lawn, so for about three hours now, with a couple more to go, probably... he's been mowing lawns. Boring.
But what a nice boy.

I hadn't realized he was home yet when I was feeding the kids lunch. They finished first, of course, because I am -- seriously -- the slowest eater in the family. Plus, by the time you get them what they need and then get yours and sit down... they're mostly done. You know the drill, nurturers of the world. Anyhow, K.J. had finished and was racing back downstairs for his Legos and another episode of the all-important Mythbusters before he runs out of summer, but Liv and Kate were still dawdling upstairs. Then the D.B. called upstairs for Olivia and asked her to come help him for a minute. Because I was surprised he was home, my ears naturally tuned in to him asking her to come up and get a bowl, then go collect the tomatoes that were on the front seat in the car. My girls raced back upstairs (because wherever "My Livi" [as she calls her] goes, Katelyn goes, too), and Olivia announced to me "Mom, I have NO IDEA what I'm supposed to be doing. But Dad said to get a bowl, and so I'm just going to get a bowl and go check for tomatoes."

This instantly struck me.
I encouraged her obedience and then sat there for a minute over my left-overs, pondering on that rather profound sentence, uttered by the cutest six-year-old around. Sometimes it seems like God tells us to do something for no apparent reason. How are we supposed to know there are good things for us in these sometimes mystifying situations? How are we to know unless we respond with obedience and faith? Just like Olivia didn't know Daddy got the little grape tomatoes that she loves, gathered them in his shirt for her, and left them as a surprise on the seat. God knows all things from the beginning. He knows something will be for our best good, and if we are listening, he will encourage us to seek that path, even if it seems like the craziest idea ever.
I get to trust in that and act with obedience and faith.
We all get that opportunity to build a relationship of trust with our Father in Heaven.

Our life here is good, and we are building something for ourselves. Many days it feels normal and is even beginning to feel natural. But it still doesn't always make sense. Especially for the Double B, sometimes it is constant struggle trying to figure out the WHY. For me, thanks to journal keeping, I have had the opportunity to read and reflect on the many, many tiny things that happened -- over a lengthy period of time -- that built our faith enough to do something truly crazy when we felt that the Lord was telling us to "Leap." We have already learned an incredible amount. We will keep on learning from this situation until the Lord tells us to do something else. I am confident He will continue to have a comforting hand in our lives as we seek to do His will.

I hope I am always as willing to go and get the bowl for the tomatoes as Olivia is, even when I have NO IDEA what I am supposed to be doing!