A Little Slow to Listen

Yesterday our family learned a basic lesson in a big way. Tyler and Braden were packing for their trip to Florida with the Palmer high School Jazz Band and Choir. Tyler all the sudden is very stressed asking if I knew where his iPod Touch was. I of course answered the same as always saying I don't know. I didn't use it last. You have to know he has has been waiting to get this iPod for a month. His birthday was Feb 7th and we finally went and picked it up on Tuesday after school. He was very excited because this new one takes pictures and video. He gave his old one to Braden. They both spent the evenng Tuesday setting them up to their own liking then left them connected to dads computer to charge overnight. Wednesday afternoon it is missing.
Aubrey loves to play the iPods and hide them (usually because she knows she isn't supposed to have them). She can usually recall where she put it. Not this time. We turned the house upside down. We yelled,we bribed we tried everything to get her to remember where it was. This was at 3:00. They were to meet up with the band at the High School at
5:30. I finally decided we were going about this all wrong. I gathered everyone together and told them we should do this right. We should pray. We know Heavenly Father can help us in times of need and I figured what a great oppertunity to teach the little ones about the power of prayer. So I help Aubrey say a prayer. She went back to searching around dads computer and in my room. Still nothing. We finally decide that maybe dad accidentally picked it up when he left for work. We were sure this was the result, especially since we had just prayed. Well dad got home at 4:30 and didn't have it . We continued turning the house upside down with no results. This was so frustrating for me. I thought "I am not faithful enough. This is how it works isn't it? You pray, you find answers? Right? What are the kids learning from this."We ended up taking the boys to the school with no iPod. Iwas quite proud that Tyler did not once ask for his old one back from Braden. But still I was very sad for him. The kids at home continued to look while we were at the school. I told Ryan of my frustrations and we decided to take a break on searching and eat some dinner. We again prayed for help to find the iPod. We can still send it with the regular band when they leave for Florida on Friday and he could finish the trip with his camera.
After dinner we cleaned Conner and Aubreys room from top to bottom. No luck. We then started to clean my room from top to bottom. No luck. We then threw in the towel and sent the little ones to bed. I, for no real reason walked into my closet for the 10th time while we were looking and I saw dads ties on the floor. I mumble nder my breath and pick them up. I then notice one of my shirts laying in my shoe basket. I felt the urge to pull the basket out and dump the shoes and guess what was behind the basket. The iPod. I screamed with delight. The kids come running in. "Where was it?" Of course now Aubrey now remembers that is where she hid it. We got talking and every one of us at one time or another had a stronge feeling and hints that is was probably in the closet throughout the entire searching process, but everytime one of walked in we looked over the floor reallquick, assumed that someone else already looked behind things, and left it. I was happy that the little ones got to see the prayer was answered and the lesson was learned. We also got a bonus lesson for us older folks. Prayers are answered. Sometimes we don't hear right away, or maybe we are not willing to do the work necessary and sometimes the answer is just not going to come when we want and exactly what we want but he will answer our prayers. Heavenly Father was trying to tell each one of us. We were all a little slow to listen.