Bon Appetit!

01/11/2011 at 11:50 (Funny Road Life Stories, FUNNY!!!)
Tags: Alabama, belly laugh, Bon Appetit, chromosmes missing, description of crucifixion, Gulf Coast, Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana, Newfoundland, P3, pot-luck.special ingredient, The Parker Trio

Everything has been so deep lately.  The holiday season was full of heavyhearted issues, as so many people seem to be facing extremely difficult situations.  My heart has cried out to God for Him to rescue both myself and others, but I do not want to forget that there is still laughter in the midst of chaos.  So, today I will tell you a funny story from my traveling days on the road.  Painful moments are a reality in the world we live in, but so are the moments that make us say with laughter, “WOW!”

Getting Curious?

If memory serves me correct, this took place the beginning of August 2005, just before hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast.  We, The Parker Trio, were on a short tour down through Louisiana and Alabama.  We met some amazing people while traveling through these areas who continued to be a wonderful support to P3, even after they lost businesses and homes when Katrina came through.

The story I want to share with you happened one evening at a tiny country church in Alabama.  The church had a center aisle that divided the congregation in two.  As the people filtered in for the evening festivities, they took their seats on either side of the sanctuary.  We came out and sang our first few songs, then Warren introduced each group member as he usually would.  Just before he was to play his first instrumental piece, he attempted to connect with the audience by asking a lighthearted question.  He notice that everyone on the right side of the church was sitting as far to the right as possible, and everybody on the left side was sitting as far to the left as possible – leaving an empty gap in the middle.  So Warren asked, “Tell me something, does everyone over here not like the folks over there?”  Warren pointed, acknowledging the divide in the center of the church and said, “I’m curious too, if there might be a feud going on?”  The majority of the people laughed, but then one young girl on the front row stood up to make her thoughts very clear.  She said, “I like everyone here except that person right back there” as she pointed to the back opposite corner from where she was sitting.

I heard Angie begin to giggle and say in her native Newfoundland accent, “Oh My!”  Angie’s giggle is always contagious, so I had a hard time keeping a straight face.  Warren’s statement of, “Well Ok!” led me to motion to Brandt to start the intro to Warren’s instrumental piece and I began to introduce him as he started to play.  Whew!  That was a close call to a potential train-wreck.  Oh, but the night has only just begun!

The typical concert would start out very upbeat, then move on to some lighthearted humor, so we could get to know the audience and they could, in-turn, get to know a bit about us.  As the evening moved forward, we would begin to share a testimony or two and our hearts’ desire for why we chose to travel in full-time ministry.  On this night, I had given a fairly detailed description of the crucifixion and sang the song, ‘Thank God For Calvary.”  Out of the song we began to present people with the opportunity to accept Jesus as their saviour.  At this very serious moment, we looked down to witness the same young girl raise her foot to her mouth and begin chewing her toenails off.  Yes, Yes!  You read that right!  One by precious one, she filed her toes with her teeth!  When she was finished with the first foot, she then proceeded to lift the other to her lips.

Do you remember Angie’s contagious giggle?  Well, now it was a full-blown laugh.  Try to picture this.  I was center stage, Warren was to my left, and Angie to my right.  Warren was at his piano playing some soft background music as I spoke tenderly about what our Saviour went through on our behalf.  All at once, Angie raises her hand over her mouth as she turns her back to the crowd, trying to conceal her laughter.  I’m sure my eyes become wide with amazement, as I tried to hide the fact that I was witnessing one of the craziest things I had ever seen.  I looked to Warren to see his head bowed with his eyes now fixed on his piano, but his body bounced as he laughed.  It was all I could do to contain a full-out belly laugh.  So what did I do?  I did what any great minister/entertainer would do at a moment like this.  Our eyes were about to stream with tears, so I quickly had everyone close their eyes for prayer while the very real quiver in my voice allowed them to think the Spirit was moving strong in that place.

After the service, we found out that this girl was 18 years old.  Her mother came to us and introduced her in these words, “This is my daughter, (her name was given) – she has a few chromosomes missing.”  Yes she did!!!  I promise you, these were her exact words.  And, she said it with a smile!  I did not laugh at this moment, but we all had a great time when we got back on the bus and reminisced over the evenings events.

There was a pot-luck meal to top off the night.  We just loved these.  Usually we found someones hair in one of the dishes, but this night we had to wonder what the special ingredient would be….LOL!

Bon Appetit!

I only wish I had pictures from that night to share.

Hope You Enjoyed!

~Shannan