The crazy day started off with a bang.

I had no idea that a city-wide scavenger hunt was going to ensue when I bought the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory . What a whirlwind couple of days that book kicked off. Let me back up a little. I had a great parent-like idea! I was going to try to share with my son the joy s of reading since I knew the school year was quickly coming. The key with my so n, is to pick a story that will get him engaged right from the get go. While my son and I were at the local bookstore, after combing over a hundred books or mor e, one book made a sudden appearance; right out of my childhood. There it was, C harlie and The Chocolate Factory. Oh how I loved this story! Boy and family are poor. Boy has dreams that seem too high to attain. Boy hopes against the odds an d boys pure heart wins the day. What a theme, and owning a chocolate factory woul dnt be a bad thing for a kid; you know what I mean. After we speed read the first chapter, my son turns to me with toothless grin an d says: Hey dad, why dont we try to find a Wonka bar in our town? Instantly, I tho ught this was a home-run moment as a dad; because I knew this would open his ima gination for the book. The problem was: I didnt even think they sold those bars a ny more. After jumping on the internet, I was glad to learn that they did and th at started the two-day event of literally going to every store we could. During our scavenger hunt, we kept striking out, at what seemed every turn. Then, I heard the unmistakable voice inside me say: Why dont you pray? Duh, as the kids say. Why wouldnt I involve the Lord in this one. What a lesson my son would learn if God answered our prayer; and He did. God is always there for us; even in our frenetic lives, and even in the simple t hings. The key is to listen to His voice and remember to be faithful to ask for help. As a people, as a society, it is shown as weakness to ask for help; but in Gods kingdom, when we realize that we are weak, we become strong in the Lord. G ods word says in 2 Corinthians 12:9:My grace is sufficient for you, for my power i s made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christs power may rest on me. Let us all start to realize that God wants us to succeed; if only we will acknow ledge our weakness. It is then, when we grasp Gods sufficiency, that Christs power will then rest upon our lives. We cant do that if we are trying to do things on our own all the time. Stop at points during your day and speak to God; for its tr uly a magical thing when we pray.

Please feel free to comment, subscribe, re-post, and most of all, tell others wh at you learned here today. The Great Plains Poet, weak in the flesh, but most assuredly alive in Christs pow er.

A Magical Thing When We Pray by Chris T.

It was a great and important mission to fulfill the commission To endeavor to find a treasure most fine. We awoke that day and were sent into the fray

In search of a confection so pretty in the walls of our city.

My son and I; dared to give it a try So we jumped in our jeep and made a blind leap To barrel down streets searching for a candy so sweet.

This search all began, to become a grand plan Due to the hook of our new favorite book. For the story of a boy who was looking for joy In Wonkas chocolate mastery inside his factorys menagerie

So, with my son in tow, we did go go go And we made our car roar, all the way to the store. and burst through the door when our feet hit the floor, And made for aisle six to get our candy fix

Oh bother, drat and grind, no Wonka bar we could find For it seems there was hard candy, but thats no so dandy When your endeavor to search in now left in the lurch Because Nerds and Gobstoppers theyve got, but dont sell the candy bar they ought.

Then a terrible thing crossed our mind, would we ever score our treasured find And one fact became quite clear, none of the stores sold the bar so dear. I pulled over the car and we started to pray, that victory would be ours on this very day. Then at the last store that seemed pretty far, was the last one in town of Wonkas Candy bar.