It is not WHAT but HOW.

     How many times have you prayed for something and felt like God was not listening?  We have all been there.  Praying fervently for what we need only to feel like our requests are hitting the floors of heaven.  Then the enemy steps in.  This will be easy for him too, because you are already vulnerable and doubting.

     “Maybe God is too busy”, he whispers in your ear.  “Maybe God doesn’t feel your prayer isn’t important”.  Or, “maybe YOU aren’t important to God”.

     Maybe it is HOW we pray. 

     Recently we came back from vacation.  Before vacation I was walking the best I had in a long time.  No crutches, no cane.  For over a year I dealt with arthritis and tendonitis.  After vacation I was back on the crutches.  This has gone on for almost two weeks.  I was begging foe God to please heal me.  Perform magic.  Pleading and crying for Him to take away the pain.  Finally, I broke down and asked politely for Him to help me deal with the challenge. 

     Today I was speaking with a colleague.  Now when we get on the phone, it is nothing foe the two of us to talk about seemingly nothing for an hour.  Just two “radio guys” that love to talk.  However, I learned something new about my colleague.  He was describing a medical condition and his symptoms were eerily similar to mine.  Almost exact.  Along with the emotional challenges as well.  I also have this condition, although I haven’t addressed the issue in a while. 

     Over our vacation, I over indulged, thus triggering this condition.  The conversation with my colleague encouraged me there is hope and to take action for remedy. 

Another example.  We were also low on groceries and my payday is still a few days away.  This afternoon a gentleman showed up from Omega Foods.  He said “post date me a check and I’ll leave the food.”  Dinner was served.

     During dinner my wife admitted she’d prayed for money to buy groceries.  Later she said she simply prayed for God to please “make a way”.  To which He did.

     Once our prayers were changed from “here’s my problem and here is how I want You to fix it,” to “here’s my problem, please help me fix it” we saw them answered. 

     Find refuge in prayer.  Find refuge in knowing that God will help us if we totally give it to Him.  Maybe not how we THINK He should, but how He knows best.

Thank You Father for Your blessings.  Your refuge. 

The Kindness of Strangers…

     I took a couple of days off just to chill and so my wife could work during the day at her part-time out of the house job.  So, that meant picking kids up from school and grocery shopping for the night’s dinner.

As we browsed the fresh produce for taco salad ingredients, our five-year-old admired the fresh flowers.

“Oh, they smell so good,” she stated with excitement.  “Can we have some?”

“Not today,” I halfway answered, trying to decide which pre-chopped onion package I wanted.  Just then, a dirty looking guy, also looking at fresh produce, asked, “Do you like the roses?”

Since we’ve taught them not to talk to strangers, she shyly nodded her head in approval and got back behind me.  The guy smelled of alcohol and looked like hadn’t washed his clothes in a while.

We continued our shopping, now a few isles over at the taco shells.  Soft or hard shell.  Then the rice. White rice, brown rice, pre-flavored or plain.  Why are there so many choices?  As we discussed the possibilities, we saw the guy walking down the aisle, roses in hand.  He handed me the receipt and presented the roses to the girls.  They were completely blown away.

He said in a very kind, warm, voice, “these are for you ladies with my compliments.”

When I saw him, I instantly judged him by his appearance.  Because he reeked of alcohol, wore dirty clothes, and looked unkept, I assumed he was a drunk.  But inside this man was a kind and generous heart.  Those roses cost $13.  To me, that is a lot to spend on a total stranger.  He didn’t care though.  He saw she liked the flowers and for some reason it touched his heart and moved him to purchase them for her.

Maybe he drinks to mask the pain of a child or grand child he never sees.  Could be to ease the pain of loosing a child.  His life could be empty because of his addiction and this brought him a little joy.  Whatever the reason, he was wrongly judged.

The first verse I thought of when this happen was, “when you do unto the least of these, you have done unto Me”.

Thank you sir for your kind gesture.  Assuredly you will not be forgotten.

I know I’m taking away two lessons from this kind stranger.  Don’t judge someone ONLY by their appearence… and don’t think you have to know someone before you show a random act of kindness.

Now… hot, medium, or mild sauce?

 

 

Get the waffles…

The other day my princesses and I were on the way to their grandfather’s house.  They were spending the morning with him because my wife was getting ready for a cookware party the next night with “the girls”.  Just like when school was in session, my beauties were moving at their own pace.  “Shoes, hair, teeth… “ I was shouting the normal list of things I think should be automatic.  I guess that’s why I’m the parent and they’re the children.  Although, the five-year-old seems to obey the best… most of the time.

Did I mention I was running late for work?  That always adds another number to the equation.  So I’m encouraging them to “grab the waffles out of the freezer and take them to their grandfather’s house.”  Needless to say, I became distracted with “shoes, hair, and teeth” directives again and forgot about the waffles.

On the way, I asked, “did anyone get the waffles?”  My drama queen (the middle one) uttered her obligatory “oh shoot” in a tone resembling genuine concern.  I go into police detective mode,
“Why didn’t anyone get the waffles?”  Almost in unison they replied, “I don’t know”, which is their standard answer for anything.
“I asked you to get them before we left.”
“I know,” my oldest shyly responded.
I then questioned, “Well, honey, what would make you have waffles right now?  Knowing you have waffles or getting them out of the freezer?”

You know, sometimes we’re like that with our Heavenly Father.  We say we have the faith but we put no action behind it.  James 2:17 says, “faith by itself, if not accompanied by action, is dead” (NIV).  Knowing the waffles were there didn’t help satisfy her hunger.  We may pray, “God help me do this or that”. But what are we willing to put into it?  “Help me lose 50 pounds God”.  Yes, He can but you need to lower your calorie intake according to your activity.  Trust me; I know that one from experience.  I once weighed 350 pounds.  Last time I weighed I was 270.  We must show our faith in an Almighty God by putting forth an effort to accomplish the goal too.  Why should we be lazy and expect God to do it all?  Can He do it all?  Of course.  He’s proved that with creation and the birth, death, and resurrection of His son.  If you’re a parent, let me ask you this question.  When your child asks for something, if they are able to do some of it themselves, you want them to, right?  However, you watch closely and step in once you see they can’t do anymore.  Our Heavenly Father is the same way.

Get the waffles.  (Make sure they’re whole grain though!)

For more read: James 2