As far as embarrassing moments go. We have all experienced them but once in a while you experience one that will have a lifetime effect. It happened almost eight years ago but just to think about it today still causes the heat to rise in my face creating that awful shade of crimson that just makes you want to disappear completely. It was June and my six year old daughter Sara was just finishing her school year bringing the daily trek back and forth to an end for the summer. Of course, her four year old brother, Bradley had to accompany us during our travels. Bradley has always been an outspoken “look-at-me†child so he made his presence known whenever we arrived at the school. It was this ever present aurora that got him included in an invitation to a birthday party for one of Sara’s classmates and started me on the path to ultimate embarrassment! The day of the party arrived and I arose early to get my home chores completed, having resolved myself to spending the afternoon with a group of noisy children and a number of parents whom I had never met. We left home early to visit the local mall to buy a gift for the party. On the way to the mall we drove past my place of employment, a family restaurant, which reminded me that I had purchased a vegetable hamper from a co-worker as part of a fund-raiser she was involved in. I had to pick the hamper up that day so I decided to make a quick stop to do so. I went inside and was told by my co-worker that the hampers were in her car parked safely in front of the main window to the restaurant. I proceeded outside, opened her car and placed a vegetable hamper in my vehicle and continued on our journey to the mall. At the mall Sara spots an interactive mechanical toy dog and started an endless plea for me to buy it for her. In the manner of most parents when put in this situation I calmly explained that we didn’t have enough money to buy the dog and a birthday present. She carried the dog with her until we reached the check-out where I firmly had to take it from her despite the powerful pout that she has come to master in the last eight years. Regardless she was all smiles again by the time we arrived at the party. The party was a typical birthday celebration with fun and games followed by food and the gift opening ceremony. I was just becoming somewhat familiar with the parents surrounding me, as we sat off on the side lines, when the birthday girl opens an interactive mechanical toy dog – the one Sara wanted earlier! Once again Sara turned on her begging charms and proceeded to harass me about buying her a toy dog. “I wish you had bought me one of those†she sighed. “Can we please stop on the way home to get one? Please Mom, please!†With that, Bradley bounces to his feet and in the manner of a knight in shining armor he comes to my rescue! With his hands placed firmly on his hips he chastises his sister in the loudest voice he could muster. “Sara you know Mommy got no money to buy you a dog. She stole vegetables for our supper!†I could feel my color changing as I tried to defend myself explaining that I had not stolen any vegetables. “Yes you did†he retorted, “You took them from the car on the parking lot and put them in our van!†At that point I knew there was point of trying to continue with my self defense and welcomed the opportunity to leave 20 minutes later! The next morning I had recovered from my humbling experience and being a Sunday our family went to Church. Following the regular routine for the service the Minister invited all children up to the front of the church before their Sunday school classes to have his weekly discussion with them. Bradley as usual marched up to the front taking up his place front and center. To my horror the minister picked that day to address sins and forgiveness with the children. He asked the children to name some things they had done wrong in the last week. After the confessions of minor infractions by some of the children the Minister asked the children to bow their heads and join him in prayer to ask for forgiveness. Bradley jumps to his feet and turns to look at me sitting in the congregation and yells “Mommy, you should come up here! You stole yesterday and then you lied about it!†I prayed all right – for the ground to open up and swallow me whole! The Minister addressed me chuckling, “Would you like for me to ask God’s forgiveness for you now as a thief or later as a child murderer?†Bjhowell
i'll continue from next paragraph tomorrow... haha kidding praying is good still angelic work no matter what