This is long, really long 
but it is my experience, and I share it because I truly believe the devas are active in our lives. I think we forget and don't appreciate what they do. They bestow blessings and give assistance when we least expect it, and most importantly, don't ask for it. I shall explain why I believe this. My life is an open book, so what is it to reveal more details? 
The Backstory: we live paycheck to paycheck. My partner is on Social Security Disability due to multiple back surgeries. SSD pays him very little, though it's certainly better than nothing, and I'm appreciative of that. I make a good $ but the problem stems from being waaayyy overextended for reasons I really need not go into, because it is what it is.
At every turn, when things seemed to hit rock bottom, and could not get any worse, something came out of the blue to get us through it. Or someone extended a completely unlooked for and unasked for favor that saved our hides.
Our 2nd car had a serious problem with a tie rod and had to be flat-bedded to the service center we used. We had no money to make the repairs until I got paid 3 days from then. The manager of the service center told us he had no problem with the car sitting there until we could afford to make the repairs. On pay day we told him to do the repairs; we had the car that afternoon.
In the past 3 years I had lumbar surgery and major rotator cuff surgery. Both times it was in the nick of time finding doctors out of the blue. If I didn't find them and have the surgeries when I did, I'd have had permanent nerve damage in my leg and lost full use of my arm, probably rendering me disabled. The doctors weren't in my insurance plan but agreed to take whatever the ins. co. paid them. I paid not a dime. One of the priests told me to pray to Lord Shiva to make me better. Of course I didn't think Lord Shiva would overnight heal me, but I believe he and/or Lord Ganesha put these doctors in my path at the right time.
When I had physical therapy, I could not drive. To take a cab 3 to 4 times a week would be a $40 round trip each day. There are no buses with routes where I needed to go. When I was resigned to having to put out $120-$160 each week for 12 weeks, the physical therapy center told me they provide transportation.
The latest incident is that much of our financial worries are being ameliorated because of people and events that crossed our paths in the nick of time. I wish I could say I won a state lottery, but that's not it. Suffice to say that events are falling into place wherein I don't have to worry about how the heck I'm going to pay the mortgage every month, and not risk losing the house. It also turns out that my partner may, just may be up for starting a volunteer job that could lead to networking for a paying part time job. On SSD you can work up to 20 hours/week and not lose benefits. This has come about because of something very, very stupid he did, for which we are both being punished; nay, learning a lesson. His physical and mental health has been spiraling downwards, but because of a chance appointment with a doctor, things could improve radically.
The Moral: I have never believed in praying "Oh please God, if I only had $1,000 to get my vehicle repaired!", or "I promise, make a vow to do X if you do X". I've never done that and I never will... it's tacky and presumptuous. I don't recite a mantra 1,008 times for a material benefit. I've gotten the help I needed when I needed it because I only ask "please tell me what to do to fix this; please give me the wisdom and sight I lack to resolve this", and then saying a heartfelt "thank you, I did not see that help coming", even when I despaired, losing faith to the point of wanting to check out of the hotel, if you get my drift. I'm not trying to be full of myself, but I think that in asking for less you receive more, even if you despair and lose faith.
Moreover, I believe that Lord Ganesha has put some of these problems in front of me to learn a lesson, which I hope I have, because I can see what needs to change. I believe that because my eyes were opened he's then removed them. Things are not peachy-keen; there are still problems that will take a long time to resolve, but it's coming.
I think I'm really digressing and rambling, so take this essay with a grain of salt, chalk it up to a personal catharsis, ignore it, pooh-pooh it but I think it's also a matter of what you do for others as well as having faith, even when you don't have faith! (here I go sounding full of myself 
). It comes back to you... pay it forward in their names and the devas will appreciate it. Service to others is probably the greatest puja one can do, as long as you remember "You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities, ... " B.G. 2.47. Everything is done through, by, and for God(dess).
:namaste
but it is my experience, and I share it because I truly believe the devas are active in our lives. I think we forget and don't appreciate what they do. They bestow blessings and give assistance when we least expect it, and most importantly, don't ask for it. I shall explain why I believe this. My life is an open book, so what is it to reveal more details? The Backstory: we live paycheck to paycheck. My partner is on Social Security Disability due to multiple back surgeries. SSD pays him very little, though it's certainly better than nothing, and I'm appreciative of that. I make a good $ but the problem stems from being waaayyy overextended for reasons I really need not go into, because it is what it is.
At every turn, when things seemed to hit rock bottom, and could not get any worse, something came out of the blue to get us through it. Or someone extended a completely unlooked for and unasked for favor that saved our hides.
Our 2nd car had a serious problem with a tie rod and had to be flat-bedded to the service center we used. We had no money to make the repairs until I got paid 3 days from then. The manager of the service center told us he had no problem with the car sitting there until we could afford to make the repairs. On pay day we told him to do the repairs; we had the car that afternoon.
In the past 3 years I had lumbar surgery and major rotator cuff surgery. Both times it was in the nick of time finding doctors out of the blue. If I didn't find them and have the surgeries when I did, I'd have had permanent nerve damage in my leg and lost full use of my arm, probably rendering me disabled. The doctors weren't in my insurance plan but agreed to take whatever the ins. co. paid them. I paid not a dime. One of the priests told me to pray to Lord Shiva to make me better. Of course I didn't think Lord Shiva would overnight heal me, but I believe he and/or Lord Ganesha put these doctors in my path at the right time.
When I had physical therapy, I could not drive. To take a cab 3 to 4 times a week would be a $40 round trip each day. There are no buses with routes where I needed to go. When I was resigned to having to put out $120-$160 each week for 12 weeks, the physical therapy center told me they provide transportation.
The latest incident is that much of our financial worries are being ameliorated because of people and events that crossed our paths in the nick of time. I wish I could say I won a state lottery, but that's not it. Suffice to say that events are falling into place wherein I don't have to worry about how the heck I'm going to pay the mortgage every month, and not risk losing the house. It also turns out that my partner may, just may be up for starting a volunteer job that could lead to networking for a paying part time job. On SSD you can work up to 20 hours/week and not lose benefits. This has come about because of something very, very stupid he did, for which we are both being punished; nay, learning a lesson. His physical and mental health has been spiraling downwards, but because of a chance appointment with a doctor, things could improve radically.
The Moral: I have never believed in praying "Oh please God, if I only had $1,000 to get my vehicle repaired!", or "I promise, make a vow to do X if you do X". I've never done that and I never will... it's tacky and presumptuous. I don't recite a mantra 1,008 times for a material benefit. I've gotten the help I needed when I needed it because I only ask "please tell me what to do to fix this; please give me the wisdom and sight I lack to resolve this", and then saying a heartfelt "thank you, I did not see that help coming", even when I despaired, losing faith to the point of wanting to check out of the hotel, if you get my drift. I'm not trying to be full of myself, but I think that in asking for less you receive more, even if you despair and lose faith.
Moreover, I believe that Lord Ganesha has put some of these problems in front of me to learn a lesson, which I hope I have, because I can see what needs to change. I believe that because my eyes were opened he's then removed them. Things are not peachy-keen; there are still problems that will take a long time to resolve, but it's coming.
I think I'm really digressing and rambling, so take this essay with a grain of salt, chalk it up to a personal catharsis, ignore it, pooh-pooh it
but I think it's also a matter of what you do for others as well as having faith, even when you don't have faith! (here I go sounding full of myself ). It comes back to you... pay it forward in their names and the devas will appreciate it. Service to others is probably the greatest puja one can do, as long as you remember "You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities, ... " B.G. 2.47. Everything is done through, by, and for God(dess).:namaste
