>>A little girl was telling her father that how some of the boys in the neighborhood had set traps to catch birds. He asked her what she did about it. “Well, Dad, I prayed that the traps may not catch the birds.” she said. “Anything else?” The father said. “I prayed that God would keep the birds out of the traps.” “Anything else?” Ask the Father. “When the boys weren’t looking. I kicked over all the traps.”

When it comes to asking God for help, we need to keep three things in mind. The first is perseverance and asking. The second is action. The third is speaking the truth from your heart. Prayer is not necessarily on my terms or timetable. Prayer is letting go. Prayer is not so much God’s getting my attention.  Prayer is God’s getting my attention. But the key three things to our readings today perseverance, action, and speaking the truth from your heart.

Listen to this story. Every year, Buddy and Edna, go to the state fair and Buddy says, “Anyone want to go on the helicopter ride?” Edna says, “Buddy, 50 bucks is 50 bucks. It’s too expensive. The answer is no.” This goes on every year. So one year at the state fair. And Buddy says, “Edna, listen up. I’m 90 years old. Not much time left. I’m gonna go on the helicopter ride.” Edna says, “Buddy. 50 bucks. Is 50 bucks too expensive. The answer is no. The helicopter pilot hears them and says, “Listen, you’re a nice old couple. I’ll make you a deal. I’ll take you on a chopper free if you promise not to say anything. Say nothing, utter nothing. Yell nothing. It’s free. Say something. It’s 50 bucks.”

So he takes them up on the chopper. He’s a daredevil helicopter pilot. His every flip, twist, spin possible to get them to say something, or yell something. Absolute silence. He lands the helicopter after an hour and says, “Buddy, I’m incredibly impressed. I did everything I could to get you to say something or yell something. You were silent. How did you do it?” And Buddy says, “I have to be very honest with you. I almost said something when Edna fell out. But 50 bucks is 50 bucks.” I never failed to crack myself up. Today well lived in perseverance, action and speaking the truth from our heart makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and tomorrow a vision of hope.