Luke rarely stops talking. This includes car time. In fact it seems there is something about being in the car that really gets Luke thinking, it tends to be when we have our most significant conversations.

Yesterday when driving out of our neighborhood - still a mess from last weekend's tornado - Luke's mind started churning.

Luke: Mom, did God know that the tornado was going to come onto our street?

Here we go. Okay, no problem, I do have a masters in theology afterall. I can handle the questions of a five year old.

Me: Yes, He did. (my ususal tendency to over-explain under control at this point)

Luke: Did He send the tornado?

Me: Well, he allowed it to happen.

Luke: (sitting quietly for a moment) So, he knew it was coming and didn't stop it?

Me: That's right.

Luke: But he could have stopped it right?

Me: Yes, God is sovereign and all-powerful and He could have stopped it but He didn't and because we don't understand all the ways of God it is hard for us to understand why He didn't stop it.

Luke: Why do we have to have tornadoes at all?

Me: Do you remember Adam and Eve?

Luke: Yes . . . (and he recounts the fall of man. . . and then goes on to summarize the rest of the book of Genesis). Where did this kid come from? I barely knew my alphabet at his age? and then But if God can stop the tornado then why would he not want to do that since he loves us and made us? Why would he want our neighbors to have their house all messed up?

Me: Jaaames. . . Oh wait, he is not in the car. Who wants ice cream?

Luke: Oh, I do!

It works every time!

Turns out writing a paper on the problem of evil is easier than explaining it to this five year old.