A Definitive Answer

The girls and I were out for a chilly afternoon walk on Saturday, when Bobo asked me how we know the Holy Spirit is real. She wears her emotions on her sleeve, often tearing up during worship because "she just feels it." I reminded her of that feeling - as it had happened to her just the week before at church. "That's the Holy Spirit speaking to you," I said, "Sometimes it's a feeling just like that." We walked on and didn't speak any more about it.


Later that day I was preparing dinner, balancing Crockett on my hip. He's got his first cold and wants to be held and cuddled all the time. I needed to start the grill outside, and was just going to run and turn it on, rushing back inside so the baby wouldn't get too cold.


Something made me change my mind. I took Crockett upstairs and lay him next to his dad, who was reading in our bedroom. I ran out to light the grill. For the longest time it wouldn't light. I kept pushing the starter button until finally a huge, roaring flame leapt out unexpectantly, singeing the little hairs on my arm.


I don't want to imagine what might have happened if I was holding Crockett. Would I have dropped him? Would he have gotten burned? I shudder to think about it. Thankfully, none of that happened because the Holy Spirit prompted me to leave him inside.


At dinner, I repeated the story to all the children, mindful that God was responding to Bobo's question from earlier that day. We were all able to praise and thank him for leading and guiding us - even in the mundane tasks of home life - through his blessed Spirit.