You Can't Always Get What You Want ...

... the two big lessons I learned that day are lessons that God has been teaching me over and over and over again in this situation:

1. Just because you don't think a prayer was answered, doesn't necessarily mean it wasn't answered -- the answer may have been in a form you weren't expecting.
   
   
2. Answered prayers are easier to see when looking at the world around you through a lens of love.

A few months ago I had cried out to God for help. I was overwhelmed with all that I had to do as a mom of three children in diapers, and felt like I was quickly going to reach a breaking point if I didn't get help soon. It was shortly after that that a group of neighborhood pranksters started ringing my doorbell and running, causing me to get even closer to said breaking point. Not only was my prayer not answered, but now I had even more problems! I thought we were never given more than we could handle -- was God not listening to me?!

What I see now, of course, is that when I was looking out for the prayer to be answered, I was basically waiting for my phone to ring with someone announcing that I'd won a lifetime unlimited gift card to the best housekeeping service in town. In typical fashion, I wanted it all to work out in a way that would allow me to continue to be withdrawn and self-sufficient, my problems being solved while I remained within the safe and predictable confines of my home.

What I am beginning to get through my head (slowly!) is that God very often answers prayers in a way that brings us closer to our fellow human beings. ...

Jen is writing about that which I have learned ... and which I then forget and must learn again. God is full of surprises, he knows better than I do what I need, and I am pretty short sighted.

Go read all of Jen's post and be sure to click through to the related links. I have been thoroughly enjoying her experiences with the neighborhood girls. I was especially delighted when they were allowed to hang out with her after Jen had been declared "off limits" previously.