Would you like fries with that?

Father Tim said, "We both know we can't second-guess what tomorrow will bring...but it seems to me that you have nothing to worry about."

Uncle Billy lowered his head for a moment. When he looked up, there were tears in his eyes. "Thank you, Preacher."

"No, Uncle Billy, thank you. I believe the Holy Spirit has shown me a sermon in your predictament."

The disciples had been repeatedly instructed with one simple word: Ask. Uncle Billy, like much of the rest of humanity, had spent precious years worrying instead of asking.

-Jan Karon's At Home in Mitford


In the early days of my relationship with my husband, I recall a time where he witnessed me asking someone who was going out for lunch to please 'buy me some french fries'.

"Did you just ask Joe to buy you french fries?" Steve asked.

"Yep." I responded cheerfully.

"You don't think he's really going to buy you fries, do you?" Steve said, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Well," I remember saying, "It doesn't hurt to ask, does it?!"

Later, while I munched on my free french fries, I had to admit that it did not hurt to ask. In fact, it was very pleasant, thank you very much!!

However, (all too often it seems sometimes!) we do not ask. Instead, we assume.

And that can be a very bad thing to do, can't it? Assuming can cause us to worry, like Uncle Billy, or keeps us angry for three months straight...avoiding people...all because we didn't do one simple thing: Ask.

Leads me to the question: What are we afraid of? Why don't we ask more often?

We spend a lot of unnecessary energy worrying and being angry...over things that...if we just asked...might not require that anger or energy from us.

Assuming...and not asking....keeps us in the dark. Without french fries. If I had assumed that Joe wouldn't buy me fries...I'd be without them. Asking gave me better odds. There was still a chance that he wouldn't buy me the fries...but...I left that control to him, didn't I?

You know what I think? I think it's our pride that causes us to assume. We can tend to think that we're so important....(or so unimportant) that we can't ever have this or that or we deserve this or that because of our 'importance'...and we're disappointed when we don't get what we assume for. (yeah....I said "assume for"....instead of "ask for").

You will always be disappointed, my friends, when you assume for....instead of ask.

I don't know about you, but I don't like pain. So why cause myself additional pain by assuming something...instead of asking?

Think about your assumptions today. And don't forget to ask Someone for help.

Oh, and if anyone's going past a Mickey D's today....could you get me some fries? Thanks!!