Laughter Lives Tuesday

This week's theme is "Funny things that have happened at church or a public event."

Oh, where to start! I could write a book on this subject, having been a bible study teacher for many years. Well, just this Sunday at my church, a little boy named Cody had been pushing his luck all through service. Having enough, his momma hoisted him up over her shoulder, as he was kicking and thrashing about, and headed out with him. You know the place he was going, where you go to get a spanking when you have pushed your luck too far. The foyer if the singing and music is still going on, or outside on the steps if the preaching is going on, so your screams and wails {dramatic ones, of course, because you are getting a spanking, not a beating} won't be heard by everyone. Well, Cody must not have felt threatened by this move his mother made, as he was laughing, yes laughing, at the top of his lungs all the way out the door. About 20 of us were in the last few pews. You know the ones that sit back there, people who were late, the teens & kids whose parents don't make them sit up front, the families with SAPSC (small and possibly screaming children), the category which we fit into, and the sinners. lol. We all kind of met eyes and a few of us even whispered, "Was he LAUGHING?" To which one little fella named Cullen, who knew ALL to well what that trip down the aisle meant, wisely quipped, "He won't be laughing when he comes back in."

Out of the mouths of babes.

Speaking of out of the mouths of babes, this story is one that I think I will ALWAYS remember. I had two young siblings in my Primary Bible study class, which doubled as Nursery, too. Anyway, I always encouraged everyone to make at least one prayer request, no matter what it was about. I think it is important to teach children at a young age that God cares about ALL their problems. Sometimes we 'prayed' for Nemo, sometimes Barbie wasn't feeling well, you get the idea. I soon had to make a few guidelines while still trying to be encouraging. Well, I sometimes took their sweet little request to heart just a little bit too much, without finding out the "back story" to their request. Cullen, mentioned above, had me in serious prayer for his new little cousin, because she was born with something TERRIBLE wrong with her eyes and he didn't think she would be able to see because she was deformed. Mind you he was about 3, so I assumed he was quoting something his relatives had said because he had used some "big words." I prayed for that poor baby for probably 2 weeks before I found out she was half ASIAN, and absolutely nothing was wrong with her eyes except they were shaped different than Cullen's. His mother had NO IDEA the grim outlook Cullen had given the sweet baby, and we had a fabulous laugh after straightening little Cullen out on how "God makes everyone different."

Back to the two siblings. One Wednesday, they came in looking like they were at their wits end, if 3 & 4 year olds can have "wits ends," and I immediately took notice because they were usually quite chipper. When prayer request time rolled around, I was devastated by what they told me. "Pray for Mommy, cause she went to da hospital and the doctor said her "oobies" were sick and she has ta be in bed and take lots of medicine that makes her frow up and has band aids ALL over her "oobies." I thought, Oh, Lord, their mom, who I knew, but was not super close too, had breast cancer and was taking chemo. We prayed a great prayer to bless their mommy and not make her medicine make her sick, yada yada yada, you get the idea. I pulled their aunt aside as soon as I got downstairs and said is "MARY" (I will call her) alright? Does she have breast cancer? The aunt was like who told you that, and I retold the prayer request. Well, she doubled over laughing so hard I thought she was gonna bust a gut. Turns out their mom had breast IMPLANTS, not breast CANCER, and she had danced around the subject with the kids so they wouldn't tell everyone. The medicine that made her very sick was pain medication that knocked her out after the procedure. Yeah, glad I didn't pass that particular prayer request along before checking it out. I also suggested that "Mary" might wanna enlighten her kids a little on her health status cause they think she is DYING, not just getting bigger "oobies!"

I was also Youth Director to the Junior Youth Group. (Yeah, I know, I got around! I was in Youth Choir too. lol) One Thursday we had played some kind of game using side walk chalk, which we were supposed to hose off after youth group. That was always part of the deal. After the game, there was still some time left before the parents were to arrive, so the other leader and I let the kids draw whatever they wanted. A "big rain" was due that night and all the next day, so I thought we were safe for sure. We didn't even have to drag the 400 foot water hose out! They drew their version of our Pastor, the 2 Assistant Pastors, the Devil drinking some pop, some really psychedelic peace signs, and even a "Make Love, Not War" "sign" that slipped by me. You get the idea. We had some really creative artists. All just goofy, clean fun, except the one "sign" anyway, and I thought no harm done. They also labeled everyone they drew and of course what good artist wouldn't leave their signatures behind, right? Well, you guessed it, it DID NOT RAIN. Yeah. You read that right. NO RAIN. Not even a drop. Well, Sunday rolled around, and I completely forgot about our Thursday evening activities. I was running a little late, and when I pulled in the parking lot I was alarmed to find there were several people still outside the church. "What is wrong?" was my immediate thought, then it hit me. "Oh, Lord, Have mercy on my soul." And I didn't even know about the "make love, not war" sign. I just knew I would have to step down from Youth or do something awful like a public apology on Channel 3 news. Turns out, everyone thought it was HILARIOUS. Even the pastor. My butt was saved that day! The kids were embarrassed slightly, and no one ever claimed the infamous sign, but overall they were proud of what they "pulled off." But, we were advised to toss out the chalk after than. We readily obliged.
I have a hundred more, plus actual church service stories that would rival any America's Funniest Home Video, but this is all for now......