The Power

I was sitting at Taco Bell yesterday, writing some notes and munching on some taco grindage when a group of about 7-8 kids walk through the door with two adults. I imagined they were from a pre-school or private daycare out on a lunchtime excursion during Spring Break. I return to my notes fumbling through the child chatter of what they were about to order. I recall my early days growing up and what excitement bubbled within as we would pull into a Burger King, McDonald’s or Taco Bell for lunch or dinner. It was indeed a treat as my father was very cautious with how the family bones were spent…and did so in a healthy way. As a child, pretty much everything is huge! You slowly enter the aroma-filled restaurant with every kind of fat and grease still lingering in the air and your taste buds began to saliva while your stomach awoke and prepared for some food. You could just sense your stomach saying, “OK fellas, time to get up and around. Somethin out there smells good, and I got a feeling it’s comin’ this way. Fall in for roll call!” Of course this was prior to the government stepping into the restaurants and regulating how much taste they can actually offer to one individual before he or she sues because their is just too much fat on their plate. For shame…but that’s a blog for another time.

I would step up to the counter and look at the broad menu which seemed to stretch for miles with all kinds of burgers, fries, and drinkies. A kind old lady behind the counter working her way through social security would welcome me with a big smile and ask me what I would like. I was a king, and she was taking orders for what I was about to feast upon.

These kids reflected the same excitement. They all placed their order and one of the adults escorted them to what seemed like the perfect place to them…just a couple of rows away from some crazy w. fatman attempting to get some work done. Let’s be honest, what kind of poor, humble youth worker goes to a fast food restaurant to get some work done? Honestly? (You have to say it like Dr. Evil, otherwise…it just really isn’t funny at all. And if you have no clue who Austin Powers is, then completely disregard the previous 2 sentences and move on)

The adult had yelled back to her colleague, as politely as possible as one could talk loud enough so that she could be heard from across the room, “If you want to bring the food, I’ll get things started and we’ll go ahead…” her words softer towards the end of her message, but it sounded like they were going to pray. All of the sudden, from a few rows away from me arose a small voice singing a prayer to Jesus. The entire restaurant went dead silent and all I could here were the fryers behind the counter and the scratches of my pen. I put the pen down, looked up, and sure enough…all eyes were drawn to this little girl and her innocent prayer to her Heavenly Father thanking him for the food and the day. Smiles slowly crept to the fellow patrons sitting and eating their entrees. “How Amazing” I thought to myself. The power of prayer, in the name of Jesus…and stopping people dead in their tracks, silencing all, amongst a World Gone Mad