Have You Prayed

Peg posted this on her Blog called "Peg's Thoughts" a few weeks ago.  I thought it was so good that I decided to repost it so that those who don't read her blog have a chance to hear about how God cares enough about our small problems to answer us when we pray.

We recently had a "Celebration of Life" service for Peg's Aunt Wanda who went to be with Jesus at the age of 91.  Our daughter Tara lives in Minnesota and was unable to come to Southern Illinois for Aunt Wanda's service, so she sent the following letter to her sister Teresa to read during the "Celebration of Life" in her place.  Peg had forgotten all about this incidence but was so glad to be reminded of it and she wanted to share it with all of you.

Tara wrote ...


"I am very grateful for the legacy of faith that Aunt Wanda left.

I don't have a lot of personal history with her as we have always lived a long distance apart.  But the history I do have, I cherish.  Aunt Wanda, unknowingly touched my life in such a way that caused my faith, which at the time had grown complacent, to become completely renewed.

My mom & I had traveled to her house one weekend about 12 years ago to use her shop to recover an old recliner of mine.  (For many years Aunt Wanda had an upholstery shop in her home.)  Aunt Wanda stayed mostly in the house while mom & I worked on it.  She would come out from time to time to see if we needed anything or to chat for a bit.
 
On one of her trips out, she found my mom & me struggling, and very frustrated, over a screw that we could not, for the life of us, get to turn.  We had tried everything we could think of ... multiple screw drivers, pliers, a hammer ... nothing was working.  IT WOULD NOT BUDGE.  And until we could remove this particular screw, we could not go any further with the project.  Adding to our stress, we were also on a timeline.

Aunt Wanda happened to pop her head into the door at just that time, and she immediately saw the exasperation on our faces.  She asked what was wrong & we told her the situation.  She paused for a second while thinking, and then asked very matter-of-factly, 'Well, have you prayed?'

I'm not sure what my mom was thinking, but I thought it was the craziest notion I had ever heard.  But I kept my mouth shut, and the three of us gathered around the chair, holding hands in a prayer circle, and prayed that God would make the screw turn.  While I listened to them praying, it was all I could do not to laugh, as the only thing I could think about was how ridiculous we must look praying over A SCREW!

After we finished praying, we tried it again & the screw turned, first try!

Aunt Wanda's simple statement of faith has played over & over in my mind so many times in my life since that day.  I will never again question or doubt God's interest, ability, authority or absolute joy in the most minuet details of my life.  That one simple statement that came so naturally from her lips, has become a staple in my everyday life.

Well, have you prayed?"
 

That's my Tara.  Like me, she is always open and honest about her faith.  Over the years, I have learned to listen when she shares her heart about God.  Well ... I guess that also goes with Teresa as well.  I am blessed.