Power of Prayer

As I left work yesterday, I discovered a praying mantis sitting on the trunk of my car. I said to him “I hope you’re praying for strength to hold on, buddy. You’re about to go for a ride." I got in the car and drove the 5 miles home, my top speed being about 50 mph. By the time I was half-way home I could no longer see him in the rearview mirror. Goodbye mantis. Right?

Wrong. At 9:30 pm I went back to my car to go play volleyball, and he was still there, now sitting on the front of the roof like a misplaced hood ornament. Impressed by his tenacity, I drove off to the church building, a 9 mile trip with speeds up to 65 mph and a light rain. I figured his position on the trunk on his first trip must have partially sheltered him from the full force of the wind resistance. But now that he was on the roof and the car was going faster, he would surely blow away. When I got to my destination I didn’t even bother to look and see if he was still there.

I got done playing volleyball at 11:30 pm and walked out to my car. To my surprise, there he was sitting at the back of the roof. I decided he deserved a name. Anybody that spends so much time in a state of Zen-like prayer must be a monk. So I of course I named him Thelonious, after the greatest Monk of all.

When I got back home Thelonious was no longer there. I don’t think he was blown off. I think Thelonious has proven that he could handle anything that could be thrown at him. No, I believe that he realized that the territory he had claimed was a 1999 Ford Escort and he decided he could do better for himself. But I think he has taught us all a lesson on the power of prayer.

Speaking of prayers and tenacious people, I just want to let everybody know that my blog-buddy Janell - aka: "Frumpy Luv" - is going in on Monday 9/15/2008 to have a tumor removed from her brain. She is an amazing woman who can make others laugh even while she is in the midst of circumstances that would crush anybody else. (Just read any of her travel stories.) She is in my prayers and I hope you will mention her in yours as well.