No, Ben Keating is NOT God!

I was driving around town today running errands, and I noticed a license plate frame that made me think of a funny story. Well, I thought it was funny. You're entitled to your own opinion.

A few years back, when the kids were about 2, 3 & 4, we had eaten dinner with a friend down the road, and when it was time to pray before the meal, they held hands and said this rhyming, sing-song type of prayer. It kind of took my 3 by surprise, because instead of keeping their heads bowed, eyes closed, they lifted their heads ever so slightly, grinning at one another, trying to stifle their giggles. A few days later, my kids were asking why we couldn't pray like their friend did. I didn't want to bash this family...at least they were doing something before eating their dinner, but I also wanted the kid's to understand what praying really was.

So, I explained to them that praying was simply talking with God...carrying on a conversation just the way we were doing in the car. It involves both talking and listening! I used a silly example, but said to Jamie, "No matter what you said or asked for, and I only responded with the same exact phrase, would that make much sense or mean anything special to you? Let's say you woke up in the morning, and said, "I'm hungry! What can I eat for breakfast?" And I responded with, "I really like your hair bow." ??? Later on, if you asked for a drink of water, and I said, "I really like your hair bow." ??? Or if you came inside after playing with a friend and she had really hurt your feelings, and all I had to offer you was, "I really like your hair bow." ??? It doesn't make any sense does it?

So, I then reminded them that God had given us everything we had, and there was so much more to thank him for, praise him for, talk to him about, etc. I asked, "Who gave us our house?" All the kid's chimed in with, "God did!" I asked, "Who gave us our clothes?" Again, "God did!" I asked, "Who gave us our food?" One more time, "God did!" We thought of several more examples, and then I asked, "Where did we get our car?" This time, Ericson shouted out really loudly (you'd have to be from around here to appreciate this one), "PORT LAVACA FORD!!!!"

I laughed and laughed, and then corrected him with, "No, God did!"

And incidentally, we did NOT buy our vehicle at the time from Ben Keating in Port Lavaca. We bought it in Houston.