Today was one of those days. When lunch time approached there was no way I could face the cottage cheese and celery I had so thoughtfully packed this morning. Based on my current stress level, a steak quesadilla from Taco Bueno was what the doctor ordered. I had a few minutes before my next meeting so I quickly headed for my lunch therapy. I took advantage of the car ride to call my daughter in Denver. She is my witness. As I pulled up to the speaker, I ordered by steak quesadilla and continued forward. When arriving at the window, I dutifully paid my bill and drove back to the office. I wrapped up my conversation with my daughter and headed to my desk. After clearing a spot on my desk for lunch and opening the computer to prepare for a working lunch. It was at that moment, the first glance into the sack, when I realized I did not have my order. In the bag were two burrito shaped packages. I was highly disappointed and angry I hadn’t checked the bag earlier. I opened the first one and it was some type of bread similar to an fry bread smeared with refried beans and stuffed with taco meat, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. It only took me seconds to devour the tasty surprise. The second package contained some kind of burrito. I tore it open before biting into it to see what my unordered gift might hold. It busted open revealing rice, beans, chicken, sour cream, tomatoes and even cilantro. All I requested was a simple quesadilla – meat, cheese, tortilla. While at first I was disappointed I didn’t get what I ordered. It only took a few tastes to see I received so much more. Pity the person that ordered burritos and got my quesadilla
I think this is often so true of our request to God. Currently 3 or our 5 children are on the hunt for purchasing their first home. Anyone who has been through this process remembers the emotional roller coaster. I have been reminiscing and comforting them by relaying memories of finding a house and praying day and night that the Lord would provide a way for us to get that house. When the offer wouldn’t be accepted or someone would offer more, I would be crushed that my prayers were not answered. However in time, God always provided a house that was so much more than the house I had chosen. It was more than meat and cheese. It was a house with lettuce tomatoes and sour cream.
When I was young and going to college, I prepared and prayed for a teaching job. All I ever wanted was to be a teacher. That was my life’s goal. However, God had such a more perfectly designed plan. While teaching is still my passion, God has taken me further in my career than I ever dreamed.
Closer to home, most recently my son and expecting daughter-in-law decided to move from a house only minutes away back to her home town 12 hours away. I have prayed many times that God would send something to change their minds and make them want to stay. Again, I was praying for meat and cheese when God probably has lettuce and tomatoes planned for them. I feel I may have been limiting them because of my selfishness.
As a child in Sunday school I learned to quote Isaiah 55:8-9, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. I also memorized Ephesians 3:20, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.” These scriptures are fundamental to how I was raised and taught as a child, but I so quickly forget them when I get focused on what I want and not on what God has planned.
Don’t fret over not getting meat and cheese when in time God will provide you with much more.
Again, are dandelions a nuisance weed that needs to be eliminated or a delicacy that is intensely desired? You could argue both sides. Dandelions are such a universal weed problem that Round-Up uses them for commercials and even for part of the logo on their bottles of weed-killer. However, when my sister and her family were stationed in Italy, dandelions were a sought after as desired delicacy. They are actually edible from the root to the blossoms. Most often they are served with a fine meal as a green, but dandelions are also common as a tea or a jelly. You can even buy dandelion root as an herbal supplement for arthritis, diabetes or menopause. Who knew?
View From My Shoes 