Send me a sign?

Gospel MK 8:11-13

The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus,
seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him.
He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said,
“Why does this generation seek a sign?
Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.”
Then he left them, got into the boat again,
and went off to the other shore.

OK, this gospel reading makes me think of an old joke:

There was a very religious man named Jim, who lived near a river. One 

day, the river rose over the banks and flooded the town, and Jim was 
forced to climb onto his porch roof. While sitting there, a man in a 
boat came along and told Jim to get in the boat with him. 
Jim said, "No, that's okay. God will take care of me." 
So, the man in the boat drove off. 
The water rose higher, so Jim climbed onto his roof. At that time, 
another boat came along, and the person in that one told Jim to get 
in. 
Jim replied, "No, that's okay. God will take care of me." 
The person in the boat then left. 
The water rose even more, and Jim climbed onto his chimney. A 
helicopter came along and lowered a ladder for him. The woman in the 
helicopter told Jim to climb up the ladder and get in. 
Jim said, "That's okay." 
The woman said, "Are you sure?" 
Jim replied, "Yeah, I'm sure God will take care of me." 
Finally, the water rose too high and Jim drowned. Jim got to heaven 
and was face-to-face with God. 
Jim said to God, "You told me that you would take care of me! What 
happened?" 
God replied, "Well, I sent you two boats and a helicopter. What else did you want?"

It's a funny story but there is some truth to it.  Every time in every circumstance, God gives us everything we need to move forward, but we get in our own way and a stepping stone becomes a stumbling block.  Guilt, shame, arrogance, laziness, doubt, not seeing things for as they are, needing to be right.  The list of self-sabotaging behavior goes on and on. But it doesn't need to be that way.  I am at my best when I let God lead.  I say it in the Our Father every day - "Thy will be done."  God's signs are all around me but it takes an awareness rooted in God's presence that allows me to see the signs.