Ask and You Shall Receive

I have often said that my grandchildren are my greatest teachers. That was never so true as last fall when I realized my grandson Drew was showing me how the world works once again.

“Nana,” Drew says in his phone call to me. “I don’t have school on Friday.”

That always means he wants me to do something with him.

“Well what do you want to do?” I asked.

“I want to go skate boarding first. I am working on a report for school on extreme sports for kids and I need you to video tape me.”

Only Drew would choose that topic. He’s an extreme sports kind of guy.

“And then I want you to take me and Jake kayaking and fishing. We can use my dad’s truck to haul the kayaks.”

“Let’s do it.” I said and we made our arrangements. He knows I will say yes. I will do anything for my grandchildren.

I love hanging with my grandson but what struck me more than anything else as I mulled over our conversation was that he knew exactly what he wanted, he wasn’t afraid to ask for it and he expected to get it.

That Friday I picked up Drew and his buddy Jake and we did exactly that, only it included going to lunch as well. Sitting on the shore reading a book, it was fun watching the boys as they paddled around and fished, at times together, other times on opposite sides of the lake. I had to drag them off the water after a good three hours. If the sun hadn’t been setting I’m sure they would have stayed out there much longer.

It occurred to me as I watched them that Drew again had taught me another lesson. I haven’t always asked for what I wanted, and I certainly didn’t expect to get everything I desired. Perhaps it was the way my generation was raised – children didn’t ask for a lot – you were taught to be happy with what you got. Maybe it has to do with being a woman and a mom; we tend to put everyone else’s needs first. Or maybe it was the message my father used to say to me. “Sometimes you just have to make do with what you have.” However those messages landed in my psyche, I realized that I had allowed them to influence my life in so many ways.

Jesus said “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” We live in an unlimited universe, all that we want is available to us. It is up to us to ask and be open to receive. Ask and you shall receive: YOU GET WHAT YOU EXPECT. Do you expect good things to happen to you? Do you expect to get what you want? Or do you settle for whatever shows up, taking what you can but never expecting more?

My resolution for 2016 is to change that. Beginning today I will use my voice and ask for what I want. And by golly, I expect to get it.

May 2016 be the year you ask and receive all that you desire.