sometimes...

i don't want to presume that i speak for everyone, but i would guess that we can all relate to this story:

'a little girl comes to Albert Einstein and says, "Please explain Physics to me."

He responds. "Let's begin with the theory of general relativity. Now then, this is essentially a theory of gravity I discovered that supersedes Newton's theory of gravitation, which is reproduced as a weak gravity, low velocity special case, and replaces the Newtonian notion of..."

Obviously, Einstein could go on like this for hours. But, the frowning little girl stomps her foot, tugs on his coat and says, "I'm serious, Uncle Al, tell me about Physics!!" (from Athol Dickson's The Gospel According to Moses.)

how often do we find ourselves in situations in life where we feel like we're pouring ourselves out to God, wanting to hear from him, wanting direction, wanting understanding of our situation and feeling as if our prayers are floating up to the ceiling and dying like pipe smoke?

we come to wonder if anyone is listening. if anyone cares. if anyone is even there.

dickson suggests, rightly, i think, that the problem is not with God, but with us. because we don't realize our poverty, our own lack of wisdom and strength, we pridefully come expecting/demanding answers to our questions.

maybe the best thing i can do today (again, i don't want to presume to speak for you) is simply acknowledge my own poverty. my own lack of wisdom. my own strength. to come asking, but not expecting that God will answer because i have something to give in return; but that when he answers it will be out of his love for me as his child.