Grace's Prayer

Last Saturday my family and my sister's family traveled up into the Cascades to day-camp. Tonight I went in to put the girls to bed and Grace asked me to pray, so I did. Then I was about to leave when she asked me if I wanted her to pray for me. I said sure. So she started off praying for me but then took a sudden unexpected turn onto Bigfoot.

"...And LORD, if we can go back into the forest, can you help Bigfoot to not be so shy, because I don't like it when he's shy, like kids are. Help him to feel okay about meeting me, because I really want to see him, I like him so much."

Afterward I was about ready to burst out of the room because I had been trying to keep a straight face when she was praying and it was just too difficult. But she held me back and said she really wanted to tell me something.

She said, "You know what? Uncle Richard told me about Bigfoot. Guess what? He has feet as big as all the way to Uncle Richard's elbow! And, MOM! you know what?" [pause]

"What, Grace?" I enthused.

"Some people have told some bad stories about him. That's why he's shy. But he's really friendly. Mom, Mom! If you hear a bad story about bigfoot, you have to tell them it's NOT TRUE. Bigfoot is so nice, and I want to meet him next time we go into the forest, and I hope he won't be shy anymore. He's really good, and he prays to Jesus, like probably every night."

I started spewing laughter and she got upset with me. That was the end of her persuasive speech.

Before I left the room I complemented her prayer and told her it made me happy. She said with a sheepish smile, "Sorry a lot of it was about Bigfoot."