Something obvious...

I've gone back and forth as to whether or not I should post the following experience and I have come to the conclusion that although it is personal it sends an important message and I don't want to ever forget that it happened so here goes...

We've been looking for a new, used, car for several weeks now. I have been staying up late researching cars within a 150 mile radius so that we can get the best deal for the little money we can afford. Last week I found a car online. It was a 2007 Toyota Corolla LE with only 6,001 miles on it. It could be ours for out the door at...we'll...for what we could afford and much below the NADA value. After much deliberation we decided we would go and check it out.

Now remember I said I had been looking within a 150 mile radius...the car was in south Florida. This would be a 207 mile check it out. We were serious about buying it as long as everything looked good when we got there. And so we headed south at 5:30 a.m. pulling into the dealerships parking lot at 10 til 9:00 a.m. The car looked amazing, drove great and we started to get excited.

Before heading into the dealership to start the paperwork we decided to give it one last good look over. We popped the hood and trunk. I headed toward the engine and Nathan inspected the trunk. Still not sure why, Nathan decided he wanted to check out the spare tire underneath the floor mat in the trunk. To our surprise there was almost three inches of standing water around the spare tire. The manager and mechanic came and quickly took the car away for inspection.

Not having eaten yet Nathan and I decided to go to Panera Bread for breakfast while they tried to figure out what the heck happened. Over breakfast we discussed to pros and cons, wrote all of our questions on paper and came to the conclusion if the problem was fixed we'd still go ahead with the purchase.

As we sat in the sales woman's office the General Manager joined us. He wanted to reassure us they had found the source...a leak in one of the tail lights and were fixing it. While he spoke an over powering weight began to sink into my chest. The feeling started to build and then the thought came to my mind..."you asked for something obvious."

I had completely forgotten that earlier that morning as we were driving down south I had said a silent prayer. I asked Heavenly Father that if we weren't to get this car would he please make it obvious so that we would know. What could be more obvious than Nathan finding a puddle of water, inside the trunk, beneath the carpet, in the wheel well with the spare tire, and where no one ever looks until they have a flat tire!

The feeling in my chest became so overwhelming that I completely spaced on the General Manager and didn't hear a thing he said after his name. When he had finished I quickly made an excuse for Nathan and I to step outside; we needed to call and check on the girls.

Inside the car, scared of how my husband was going to react, I began to explain what was happening and what I had asked for earlier that morning. Nathan was so understanding and together we walked back into the dealership, thanked them for their time and said that we were going to have to pass on the car.

Had it not been for the thought that came to my mind "you asked for something obvious" I would have completely looked passed the water in the trunk and even dismissed the heaviness I felt as nerves. Even with all that happened I still doubted what was happening. I still questioned whether or not I was being silly and wondered if I was reading more into it than needed to be. The weight was lifted almost immediately as we headed home.

My dad once told me that doubt is man's natural challenge to faith. I've always struggled with the principle of faith. Not when it comes to important life altering aspects of my life, but when it comes down to the day to day insignificant ones. You know the things that really don't matter in the eternal perspective. I know that is why in my prayer I asked Heavenly Father to make it obvious because otherwise I would have only second guessed myself and dismissed it as my nerves or my indecisiveness. I almost did it yesterday.

I do know that my Heavenly Father is aware of me! I do know that he wants to be a part of my life in every way. I do know that He hears me when I pray and I do know that it doesn't have to be those life altering moments when I can ask Him for help. So if I know all these things to be true answer me this one question. Why is it so hard for me to recognize His hand in my everyday, doesn't really matter in the eternal perspective, but sure would be nice to have some help, decisions? I've come to the realization that it is obvious; I just need to stop doubting and not be afraid to recognize His hands in all things!