Resourceful

“Ooops!”

Our kindergartener looked down at the bench, then sheepishly into my eyes. “I spilled the rest of my milk.”

“That’s okay. Just clean it up, please.”

Mealtime was nearly over. I turned my attention back to the baby, who was alternating between gumming cooked potatoes and happily spitting them across the table.

“Ah, perfect.”

Looking up, I saw my father-in-law chuckling and the singular clean-up crew departing.

While I was involved with baby’s spit art, the kindergartener had mopped up some milk with a paper towel. Upon returning to the spill spot, it was obvious that the job was not done. With a bright, “a-ha!” look, he then sat on the remaining milk.

A few well-placed slide movements later and — Viola! In his eyes, the area was squeaky clean. Pronouncing the process “PERFECT”, our boy then skipped off to play with his siblings, leaving a laughing grandfather in his wake.

How resourceful!

After all, sometimes there is just a mess, and we use what is available to solve the problem.

A story has been told about President John Taylor, third president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, using his talent of singing to help two men resolve a conflict. Before listening to their case, he asked if he could sing them a hymn. President Taylor was a gifted singer. The men agreed. By the end of the fourth hymn sung, the men were in tears. They felt problem no longer existed. 1

By using his God-given talent AND listening to guidance from the Holy Ghost, President Taylor had been a tool in the Lord’s hands.

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7. Footnote b clarifies that “power” in this verse comes from the Holy Ghost.)

Now, was our five-year-old inspired to use his pants as a mop? Probably not, but he certainly used his “sound mind” to solve the problem at hand!