The Sweet Husband

The Prayer

My niece just posted a thing that made me remember a story. I guess we would have to call this one, why my dad, the preacher, did not call on me to pray out loud at church, after the trial run.

Daddy used to call upon children to say a prayer occasionally. All three of us younger ones would be included, even me, and I was only five, so out of the group of children attending church that service, he would choose one to say the prayer, no warning, just all of a sudden you had to pray.

One of the ladies that went to church painted on her eyebrows. Apparently, sometimes she had shaky hands because one or the other of them would just take off from above her eye, and looked like it was trying to escape into her hair.

Mama warned me, before almost every service, do not mention Mrs. Cartwright's eyebrows. She most likely was sick and the hair came out of them and she probably feels bad about it anyway, and you might make her cry.

I really wanted to know the story behind the missing eyebrows, but I sure didn't want to make a grown up lady cry, I also knew my mama, and I didn't dare ask. Not only would mama spank me, but if the woman cried, daddy would get me too, you do not make church members cry if you are the preachers kid.

So, one Sunday Night, finally, daddy asks me to lead the prayer. Mama had gone over with all of us what we needed to pray for, the church, the members, daddy, and the town.

I had a little extra planned, because nobody would cry about being prayed for, so I get up and ask God to bless the church and all it's members, and bless Daddy so he could lead the church in a good way. God Bless the town so that all the people could go to heaven. And please God, bless Mrs. Cartwright because she has been sick and she has bald eyebrows and her hands shake and she paints them on all over her head.

After. what I was assuming, was a moment of silence after my awesome prayer, the entire congregation, including mama and daddy was hit by a mysterious illness that caused everyone in the church to begin coughing violently.

I am pleased to report that although I got a good talking to about how some prayers should be silent, because they might embarass others, I did not get a spanking. I also do not remember ever being asked to lead the prayer again.