Answers

Imagine...

You are exhausted because of your new love affair with "Downton Abbey".  You stayed up late the night before with your wide-a-wake baby to watch the series that everyone has been talking about, while your handsome man next to you is in dream land.  He's been asleep since 8:30, it's 9:30 and you have a choice-

'Stay up and watch another episode' or ' Lay the baby in bed & hope that she too will drift off to sleep'

My Your choice-

Well, of course it is to "Stay up and watch another episode"

The movie ends, the baby is finally asleep, and you are ready to sleep too, when all of a sudden

you see the door slowly open as though a ghost is walking in.  You wait to see someone and there is no one there, but, you hear soft movement on the ground as though a snipe hunter is coming to attack.

Within seconds  you see the blonde head of your now 7 year old boy peeking over the foot-board at the bottom of the bed.  You ask what he's doing and why on earth he is still awake and of course his response is that his sister is bothering him.  He admits he was in her room because there are spiders in his room.

Spiders- Hah!  When you were little, there were cockroaches!  You begin to tell him how terrible the 

cockroaches were when you were a girl and that a spider is really nothing to be scared of.

Soon, you realize that you are being watched from the doorway and that his sister has come to join in

on the stories of the big and scary cockroach. 

They both sit on the bed with full interest and all of a sudden their dear sweet Daddy says in a sleepy voice, 

"Welcome, Welcome"

You all glance over, you start laughing and your little kids look really confused which makes you laugh

even harder.  They have never seen their Dad sleep talk before.  However, you are used to it.

You try to get Daddy to talk more, but all he will say is "Yes" when you ask him if he loves each of the kids.

At 4:15 the alarm goes off, and now you are the one in dream land.  Your husband drags himself out of bed to go and work at a job he doesn't love, but does because he knows he needs to provide for his family.

He kneels by the side of the bed to pray with you for your day to go well, and that you will both 

continue to have the patience you need.  For three years now, he has been looking for a new job.

Six weeks ago he applied for one, interviewed, had a second interview, was offered the job,

and is waiting for the board to make the final decisions.  

And so, week by week, you wait.  And wait. And wait. And wait.

After all that you and your husband could do, the future of your path is in the 

hands of God of course, but also in the decisions of a board of people neither of you 

have ever met.  And so, you pray- a lot.  For that final answer is where your destiny will lead.

The new morning moves on with it's normal routine.  You shower while the oldest gets breakfast for her

siblings. You feed, change the baby, and put her in her car seat and then realize the two year old is still in 

his pajamas. You grab clothes to change him into and will change him before you actually go into the store.

You are running late for the reading class you signed your two oldest kids up for.  You are finally all in the van with your half banana and granola bar waiting for you to eat on the road.

You put your key in the ignition, turn it, and brrrrrrrrrvrrrrrrrrr

It won't start.

You try again

Brrrrrrrrrvrrrrrrrr

Nope... nada

You think to yourself- ah now the car.

And then, your oldest says,

"I'll say a prayer."

She quietly prays to herself, and you ask her 

to pray out loud for you all to hear.

You know that at this time, the faith of your children

may be stronger than your own and you rely on their strength.

She ends her sweet prayer, and that cute 7 year old boy who was 

sneaking in your room the night before, with faith says,

"Mom, try starting the car"

Again you put the key in the ignition,

and once again the van does not start.

You make other plans. The kids are excited to ride their

bikes to the school and stick together like a team.  You have your sister

drive over & watch the kids, borrow your Dad's truck, and run your errands

for the birthday present for the friend's party today and to buy bread.

As you drive home you hear George Michael's song "Faith" on the radio
and you think how ironic it is when you hear the chorus,
"Cause ya gotta have Faith, Faith, Faith, you gotta have Faith!"

You come home and explain to your oldest that 

sometimes our prayers are answered right away.

Other times we have to wait for the answers

(as you know this yourself)

But God, you tell her, will always answer when you have faith.