> > >A Simple Prayer by Peggy Porter > > > > My son Gilbert was eight years old and had been in Cub Scouts only a > > short time. During one of his meetings he was handed a sheet of paper, > > a block of wood and four tires and told to return home and give all to > > "dad." > > > > That was not an easy task for Gilbert to do. Dad was not receptive to > > doing things with his son. But Gilbert tried. Dad read the paper and > > scoffed at the idea of making a pine wood derby car with his young, > > eager son. The block of wood remained untouched as the weeks passed. > > Finally, mom stepped in to see if I could figure this all out. The > > project began. Having no carpentry skills, I decided it would be best > > if I simply read the directions and let Gilbert do the work. And he > > did. > > > > I read aloud the measurements, the rules of what we could do and what we > > couldn't do. Within days his block of wood was turning into a pinewood > > derby car. A little lopsided, but looking great (at least through the > > eyes of mom). > > > > Gilbert had not seen any of the other kids cars and was feeling pretty > > proud of his "Blue Lightning," the pride that comes with knowing you did > > something on your own. > > > > Then the big night came. With his blue pinewood derby in his hand and > > pride in his heart we headed to the big race. Once there my little > > one's pride turned to humility. Gilbert's car was obviously the only > > car made entirely on his own. All the other cars were a father-son > > partnership, with cool paint jobs and sleek body styles made for speed. > > > > A few of the boys giggled as they looked at Gilbert's, lopsided, wobbly, > > unattractive vehicle. To add to the humiliation Gilbert was the only > > boy without a man at his side. A couple of the boys who were from > > single parent homes at least had an uncle or grandfather by their side, > > Gilbert had "mom." > > > > As the race began it was done in elimination fashion. You kept racing > > as long as you were the winner. One by one the cars raced down the > > finely sanded ramp. Finally it was between Gilbert and the sleekest, > > fastest looking car there. As the last race was about to begin, my wide > > eyed, shy eight year old ask if they could stop the race for a minute, > > because he wanted to pray. The race stopped. > > > > Gilbert hit his knees clutching his funny looking block of wood between > > his hands. With a wrinkled brow he set to converse with his Father. He > > prayed in earnest for a very long minute and a half. Then he stood, > > smile on his face and announced, 'Okay, I am ready." > > > > As the crowd cheered, a boy named Tommy stood with his father as their > > car sped down the ramp. Gilbert stood with his Father within his heart > > and watched his block of wood wobble down the ramp with surprisingly > > great speed and rushed over the finish line a fraction of a second > > before Tommy's car. > > > > Gilbert leaped into the air with a loud "Thank you" as the crowd roared > > in approval. The Cub Master came up to Gilbert with microphone in hand > > and asked the obvious question, "So you prayed to win, huh, Gilbert?" > > To which my young son answered, "Oh, no sir. That wouldn't be fair to > > ask God to help you beat someone else. I just asked Him to make it so I > > don't cry when I lose." > > > > Children seem to have a wisdom far beyond us. Gilbert didn't ask God to > > win the race, he didn't ask God to fix the out come, Gilbert asked God > > to give him strength in the outcome. When Gilbert first saw the other > > cars he didn't cry out to God, "No fair, they had a fathers help." > > No, he went to his Father for strength. > > > > Perhaps we spend too much of our prayer time asking God to rig the > > race, to make us number one, or too much time asking God to remove > > us from the struggle, when we should be seeking God's strength to get > > through the struggle. "I can do everything through Him who gives me > > strength." Philippines 4:13 > > > > Gilbert's simple prayer spoke volumes to those present that night. He > > never doubted that God would indeed answer his request. He didn't pray > > to win, thus hurt someone else, he prayed that God supply the grace to > > lose with dignity. Gilbert, by his stopping the race to speak to his > > Father also showed the crowd that he wasn't there without a "dad," but > > His Father was most definitely there with him. Yes, Gilbert walked away > > a winner that night, with his Father at his side. > > >> > > > > > >THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH. NEH 8:10 > > _______ To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe rangernet" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] "Eat the hay & spit out the sticks!" RTKB&G4JC! Autoresponder: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://rangernet.org
