Song: Prayers

By: Chris Hawkey

Start song at (1)

"So," great grandpa looked at his ancestor. "300 years, you must have seen a lot in all that time."

Jack smiled. "You don't know the half of it."

The old Bennett nodded. His smile turned down slightly, not quite a frown but not as bright a smile as before. "I've seen things, felt things that have been hard and still stick with me. On the other hand I've also lived through many wonderful times too." The two had moved to an armchair at the back of the room. Everyone seemed to sense that their conversation was a private one and other chatter broke out as the family discussed the amazing stories and accompanying magic. "You didn't… Happen to be anywhere near the battles of… Certain wars… Were you?"

Jack's smile fell a bit as well. "I'm sorry to say that I've seen quite a few."

Great grandpa Bennett nodded again, then put his chin on his folded hands, elbows propped up against his knees.

Jack wanted to get off the sad memory train they were on and took great grandpa's sad body language as a cue to change the direction of the conversation. "But, like you said, also seen many wonderful things as."

Great grandpa lifted his head and his smile returned to its former shine.

"In fact, I have been there for many answered prayers."

"Really?" The older Bennett questioned.

"Yep!" Jack looked a bit cheeky.

"Just what have you been doing?" Great grandpa looked be be-musingly his ancestor.

"Well,… I May have listened on one or two calls for help. I may have added my prayers to the pool, couldn't hurt right?" Jack put a finger to his chin as if he were thinking, but his eyes showed that he was enjoying the memories of his eavesdropping. (1) "There was the rookie ballplayer that was so nervous about hitting a pitch he was shaking. His swing came out true and made a home run with the bases loaded. The short kid who wanted to be a six-foot basketball player. In a few years he had a major growth spurt. The teen that got to drive his grandpa's Chevrolet, I wrote in the passenger seat as he thanked God for the opportunity. That was an amazing ride by the way!" A chuckle escape Jack's listener. "Oh that isn't an even the funniest one. There was the time I was at a 21-year-old's birthday and he got to the point that the room spun around him." That made his listener full out laugh.

Others were now starting to listen in, getting the sense that the topic of conversation had moved away from private territory.

"I have visited a lot of hospitals and heard many families praying for loved ones. My favorite was a little girl who was fighting cancer. 'Just one more day!' Was the prayer murmured over and over again. That one day made all the difference as she started the climb to recovery. Now she's cancer free!" Thankful happy smiles shined at this. "Prayers for Cars to last just a bit longer. And for the soldiers who fight plus their family, especially their moms. Pleads and bargains to get out of tight situations." The family was swaying to Jack's song, taking in all the stories. "I once sat in a waiting room with a worried soon to be father as he prayed for his wife and child's safety. Twins, one girl and one boy, greeted him a few long hours later."

Jack sat back, as he sang the prayers wrote themselves in frost along the walls, like a memorial of angered proclamations of faith! "The prayers I have prayed, it's amazing what belief and faith can do! Someone is always listening!"