You Can Ask!

I visited the AAUW book sale at the very end of the day - just when they were selling an entire bag of books for $1.  Serendipitously, I found several books I've always wanted to read, and several others that were favorites in the past. I so love finding something extremely valuable while you are looking for something else.  Love that multi-tasking.

The first one I found was "The Gold of Troy" by Robert Payne, which tells the story of Heinrich Schliemann, 1820-1890, a self-made man and scholar who discovered the archeological site of Troy by using Homer's Iliad as a travel guide. I don't remember how old I was when I first read it - probably middle school.  In those days I was very interested in Greek mythology as well as history (as I continue to be) and I think I will enjoy rereading it every bit as much.

I also found a copy of James Michener's book Caravans, which was a bargain I couldn't resist.  I remember reading it the first summer I lived in Pierre (1974) as a college student working at the State Library.  Last year I read it again and gave my copy to Dawson Lewis, whose son Michael was then with the Marines in Afghanistan.  He sent it to Michael, and Michael actually was in the same area described in 'Caravans' and saw these 'khettaras', man-made subterranean tunnels used for water transport. I'm glad to have it back in my library.

And then there's What Happens When Women Pray, Evelyn Christensen's little book that has had a revolutionary effect on prayer groups in every decade since the 1970s.  I overheard my mother's prayer group when they were studying the section on specific prayers from the chapter "Methods - the Six S's'. She was telling them a story from my life: during one holiday vacation, while home from the University of South Dakota, I wanted something from my Dad, or wanted him to do something.  He knew I wanted it, and I knew he knew I wanted it.  I'm not sure whether he knew that I knew he knew I wanted it. OK, enough of that.

I don't actually remember now what it was I wanted; maybe I wanted to drive my brother's car back to school? At any rate, Dad did not do or provide whatever it was.  When Mom asked him why he didn't, since he knew I wanted it, he simply said, "She never asked."

How many times do we miss out because we don't actually say what we want in so many words, but just drop hints?  This happens in prayer as well as in personal interactions.  Just come right out and ask!