"Plum" Awesome!

I went to Theta Pond on my lunch break to eat and just be in a quiet place. After I finished my microwave meal, I sat there thinking; evaluating everything that crossed my mind. I was looking for the feeling that I get when I know that my heart is close to God. So I sat there, thinking, which lead to praying. I prayed about whatever I could think of: His power, blessings, love, will, and His ultimate plan.

As I was nearing the end of my time in prayer, I looked up and a little girl about the age of 5 walked up to me and handed me a plum. It was a, in my eyes and understanding, God's way of saying, "Yeah, I'm here." I was going to leave Theta Pond and head back to work a few different times but I stuck it out till I was at the end of my lunch period. I was waiting for my heart to recognize my faith in Him. I wanted to feel him there even though I already knew he was with me so I started praying about the things that I had been thinking about the previous 30 minutes or so.

I wondered why God would use this little child of his to hand me something as simple as a plum. Was it all he had at the time or was it planned out that way? Only thing I know is that since I chose to stay a little longer, I received a blessing that has put a huge smile on my face.

"And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like
little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever
humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of
heaven. "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes
me." (Matthew 18:3-5)

I remembered back to when I was about the age of the girl that handed me her fruit, which was also about the time that I learned that plums were something amazing to my taste buds. I was around seven years old at the time, in second grade, and I was one of the kids that always ate a school lunch and would trade up with other kids at our lunch tables. I hadn't recalled ever eating a plum before the day I was given one in the school lunch line and being the me, I didn't care what it was, I was going to eat it. This was also about the age that I wanted to start doing everything on my own and making my own decisions. At the end of the school year, I remember my mom sitting down to have a talk with Ms. Hicks about her evaluation of me as a student. Ms. Hicks thought it best for me to be held back due to the fact that she worried that I wasn't up to speed with the rest of my class. I was sitting right next to my mom as they discussed my future. It was in the moment that my mom turned to me and asked me what I thought that has impacted the course of the rest of my life.

When she asked me what I wanted to do, I told her that I wanted to continue into the next grade. In my mind, being held back meant that you were not cool. If I would not have made it into the third grade the following year, I would not have made the friends that I had through school, I may not have been baptized for the first time when I was 10. I wouldn't have dated the guys that I have and been through the same heartache that has brought me this far in life. Lessons, memories, and adventures would not be what I know them to be now. Going to Japan, moving in with Liz, starting my Sophomore year rather than what would have been my Freshman year...none of it.

So I thank my mom for asking me what I wanted to do with my life that day, for the little girl who thought of a stranger and gave away her fruit, and for my Heavenly Father letting things happen the way they have. Today I saw the innocence of a child that knew what God wanted her to do. I felt my heart yearn for him and burst with joy in thinking that I'm his daughter and all that entails. I realized what kind of impact one very small decision can have on one life which results in affecting a multitude of other lives. Today I realized just how "Plum" Awesome my life really is.

Great is our God.