"God Answers"

I asked God to take away my bad habit.
God said, No. It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up.
I asked God to make my handicapped child whole. God said, No. His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary.
I asked God to grant me patience. God said, No. Patience is a by product of tribulations; it isn't granted, it is learned.
I asked God to give me happiness. God said, No. I give you blessings; Happiness is up to you.
I asked God to spare me pain. God said, No. Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me.
I asked God to make my spirit grow. God said, No. You must grow on your own! , but I will prune you to make you fruitful.
I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life. God said, No. I will give you life, so that you may enjoy all things.
I asked God to help me LOVE others, as much as He loves me. God said...Ahhhh, finally you have the idea.

"To the world you might be one person, but to one person you just might be the world"


A good friend sent this to me in an e-mail. Perhaps many of you have seen this already. In my life the past 15 years since I stopped drinking, I have had many chances to become closer to God. That is my main goal in life. I had a friend who used to tell me that she wanted nothing more than to move on and to set in God’s Lap. I know in my heart, she will be one day. As for me, I just want to hang out, no Lap or Thrown or Inheriting any Kingdoms. I just want to be near, say "hello" and hopefully to learn how to be more like God. Perhaps, greet my friends as they come to set on God’s Lap. Some days, I feel like I do not know God and I feel so very far away from being anything remotely God. I put this on here so I could come back and remind myself on those days I feel so far away. These past few years, or 5 or 6 or so, God has Told me No often. More so than not actually. There is a reason. Often times, I am lucky enough to know that reason. Sometimes, well… I just have to wait. Waiting sure is tough at times. In the waiting, in the bardo, is when we learn all about ourselves and when we need to trust the most. Thta is when we grow and prove to oursleves, well... just whatever or whoever we are and do. Some days, I just do not even want to try. Fortunately, those days do not happen so much anymore and they just do not seem to last as long. Thank you God for that!!!

I do not know if I am anyone’s “world.” It sure is a nice thought, though. There is someone in my life who is my “world.” He has been my only reason to live on those days when I have none other. Some day, I hope to say that I have another who is my “world” and that she will say the same about me. I have been Asking, and perhaps that is the problem or maybe I just ask it in the wrong way. Hard for me to know sometimes. To this point, the answer is not so much “No” as it is “Not Right Now, Tim.”