This week it was dishwashing soap and toilet paper. I'd been to the store since discovering the shortage, but hadn't thought to restock. I was just busy thinking about whatever it was that caused me to careen into the Kroger parking lot in the first place (Sprite and saltines for a sicky on one trip). I just couldn't seem to remember the much needed items. The other morning it was serious! We were down to our last 8 squares in the house. The night before I overheard our oldest daughter tell our youngest, "Only use what you HAVE TO use. And try not to poop." Like I said, serious.
I knew we'd be fine once we all left the house and I'd hit the grocery store on the way home from work. I knew any real crisis would be averted. Then came the call from our youngest daughter. Through giggles and whispers and embarrassed pauses, she retold the story of finding herself in a stall of the girls' bathroom at school when she saw that there were three rolls of toilet paper. Three!!!! Before she even knew what she was doing, she grabbed a roll and stuffed it into her backpack and hurried out. (She made the point of telling me she had washed her hands first. Apparently my children have concluded that in the eyes of their mother, stealing was preferable to germiness.) Our precious daughter STOLE a roll of toilet paper from her school! I found myself instantly speechless. After all, I'm the mom that drove 25 minutes back to a store to have her 3-year-old return a 19 cent candle she had slipped into her pocket! What do I do here? Well, first of all, when I found my voice I laughed my head off. (I know, maybe not the best reaction from an ethical standpoint.) She truly believed she was saving her family from a crisis. I think she couldn't stand the thought of a potential t.p. rationing... after all, she knew 8 squares was not going to go far enough with three girls in the house (Dad doesn't count). I love that she thought it was her duty to rescue all of us!
The funny thing is that when she called to tell me the story, I was walking out of Kroger with 12 double rolls of the softest toilet paper in the store. My answer to the problem was far superior to the partial roll of rough sandpaper equivalent she had lifted. I had it all under control. As the mom of the house, that's my job.
It made me think about the many times I think I need to step in and rescue myself or someone in my family because it just doesn't seem like God's answer is going to come in time. I pray. I wait. I grow impatient. I do. Then I realize God had it all under control. And the answer He had was far superior than any solution I could ever offer. The difference, of course is that I truly forget things. God never does.
The roll of t.p. is, to my knowledge, still in her backpack. I think it'll make its way back to the stall at school eventually. For now, I think it's a pretty cool reminder that though our Savior's timing rarely matches ours, it is perfect.
great. :)
ReplyDelete