Messy Order

Besides making sure coffee has begun its aromatic brewing process, one of the first things I do in the morning is put the dishes away that have sat overnight in the drying rack, which happens to be right next to the coffee pot.  I can't help it, they are in my line of site as I pour my gift into a cup. As a human being, I thrive best when I can start the day with a little order. In my home, everything has a place, and even if things get crazily out of order throughout the day, I at least like to start and end the day with organization. I was genetically predisposed to love categories, definitions, and metaphoric boxes. I hate clutter and love neatness. Thanks momma. There may be cobwebs on all my baseboards and sticky crumbs scattered in kitchen corners, but as long as it looks relatively neat, I feel a little more peaceful.
Yet, this love of boxes limits me when it comes to understanding the creativity of my Creator. God doesn't fit into a box or a mold. God chooses things that seem messy sometimes, but He is a God of order. We cannot comprehend His order and creative neatness. How is it that He is aware of every leaf that blows in the wind? How does He love me every moment while simultaneously loving those people who are currently crying in hospitals, or tragically killed and persecuted, or those lost to addiction or fear at this very moment? I can't fathom this kind of omniscient love that maintains no bias. Without even realizing it, we all have some sort of definition or mental image for God. We place parameters around the one who invented parameters. Job 38 gives a voice to God who asks mere man, "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?"  Humbly, Job realizes how little we know as human beings. We were made in his image, which gives explanation to our desire to define, our desire to create, and our desire to give order, but we must be careful when we  start giving God orders or believing we somehow know the ways of the world. As Ecclesiastes states, "Even if the wise claim they understand [what happens under the sun], they cannot really comprehend it" (8:17). I am thankful we can't understand everything because then we would all think we were God (which many already do).

Summer is giving way to beautiful creativity on the part of the Smith boys too. Never under estimate the power of boredom. That's when the real genius is put to the test.

Silas decided to make his own kite, and he informed me that measurement MUST be perfect for a perfect kite to fly perfectly.

It was a huge success on a rainy day. Couldn't have come up with a better activity if I tried. 

Sweet boys chilling with their baby brother.

Levi update below!

After all our road travels, we've discover this great gem to help with nap time in the car. 

Roman enjoyed meeting his extended family at the beach. 

Gibby was the best sand digger in the family!

Thanks for a great time Gibby! We love you!

It's been such a blessing that Levi can travel more this year. We had a good doctor appointment last week before we left for the beach. When he first walked in, our GI doctor wasn't thrilled with the nutritionist's positive notes on Levi's progress. His job is to get Levi on the growth curve (currently he's not even in the first percentile unless you look at the world curve where he sits around the 8th percent), but after much conversation about why Levi shouldn't be forced to use the feeding tube at night to increase weight gain (because I reminded him of all the vomit), he was actually pleasantly surprised that I don't care if Levi is smaller than his friends for the next five years. He said most parents stress over the growth curve and simply want their child to "catch up." Because Levi is "nutritionally sound" and getting what he needs to at least gain an ounce every few days, we actually discussed taking out Levi's feeding tube this fall! I didn't do any cartwheels at the mention of a tubal extraction because I've learned to wait patiently for things to come to fruition. I'm just thankful Levi isn't losing weight even if he is just "holding his own" right now. For now, he's doing great trying new foods, and I will definitely let you know when we have a G-tube removal party! :)

Thank you for all your prayers. We will head to the orthopedic doc in a couple weeks to check on his bones! For now, we will keep on with all our efforts trusting in the creativity of God's perfect plan for Levi and our family.

~OrderBuster