Maya learns a little bit about the nature of God (also known as good listening skills)

I have this pretty good track record of finding things when I lose them. It hasn't always been that way. I've had my fair share of lost treasures. But I now have a little secret that is almost so simple that it's not really a secret at all. I say a prayer. I learned this trick after I met Wes. I was not sure it would work the first time. But when it did, I wanted to try it again! And I am serious when I tell you that every single time I pray to find something, I find it (with the exception of one really valuable personal item that is just gone for good). Sometimes I find whatever is lost in a day or week. But it's always a mini thrill ride when I do say a prayer and then immediately know where to look—bingo! Now I don't want to go jinxing anything, but I seriously challenge you to try it. There's a trick, though. You have to listen after you say the prayer. A very little voice (or sometimes a loud voice) will tell you where to find it. OK, so it's not a voice, per se, but more of a feeling. But when that feeling speaks, I listen. Even when it's something as seemingly silly as a doll:

This week Maya lost a doll. Not surprising, seeing as we have a gazillion toys, and they all go missing on a rotating basis. But this was no ordinary doll. This was JESSE. Jesse, the reward for all of Maya's potty training hard work. Jesse, who Maya had endlessly pined for. So after a week of missing Jesse, Maya was in tears. Tonight a lightbulb went off. I asked Finn and Maya to kneel down and say a prayer with me. Now it should be said that I am not likely to kneel down in the middle of what I am doing and just burst into prayer in front of an audience (actually, that has never happened). And I could tell by the look on Finn's face that he was a bit leery of my spontaneous heavenly entreaty. All the better. This was going to work. The kids came over, and knelt with me on the living room rug (giving me odd sideways glances). We folded our arms, and I helped Maya say her own little prayer (a feat in and of itself). But she was desperate, and complied. We asked for Heavenly Father to please help Maya find Jesse. Maya pulled out all the stops, ending in a tearful Amen. This was golden. Then I asked Finn what he thought. With wide eyes he said, "Heavenly Father tells me it's behind the couch!" (chuckle...so cute) Alas, not behind the couch. "Heavenly Father tells me it's in the car!" (oh great, treasure hunt ensues) Not in the car. "Under the bed!" And as the fruitless search continued, I admittedly began to worry. I sent out a well-meaning warning to the heavens that if this didn't work, all of my spiritual credibility as a mom would be down the drain. Then I heard it—or felt it—the still small voice. In the ballet bag. Of course! Maya had taken Jesse to show her dance teacher last week. And just like that we found Jesse. Call it what you will—process of elimination, chance. But Maya knew what had really happened. She was so overwhelmed with the magic of the moment that she said another prayer thanking Heavenly Father right then and there. I was kind of bowled over. This was clearly a 5 star moment! I felt all warm and fuzzy. I was instilling the lifelong lesson that God hears our prayers and loves us! This would be a defining moment in their little lives! These are mothering moments that mothers dream of! Then Maya turned to me and said with renewed tears, "We no find Jesse HAT!!" Then stormed off in anger, locking herself in the bathroom. Lesson learned.