DAN WHITTLE, Courier Columnist
Sunday, January 15, 2012 4:02 am
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Taking his spiritual practice one step further, Daddy Whittle had a firmly-stated and strictly enforced rule: “If one of those saints comes on our farm bragging about how holy sanctified he, she or their brand of ‘church’ is, go immediately and lock our smokehouse.”
For unlearned present-day citified types not familiar with a farm family’s smokehouse, that’s where our irreplaceable winter meat supply was “stored.”
This is not to judge famous NFL quarterback Tebow for bowing and praying before millions in the end zone following a touchdown or a victory.
I don’t know if God is into winning or losing football games.
But if Tebow is sincere about his praying, and God takes Tebow football prayers seriously, I ain’t betting against the Denver Broncos.
You go, God!!
Is Tebow’s public praying any more devout or effective than my parents’ praying in private?
I’m not qualified to judge it.
But, I tend to go along with my childhood country reverend A.C. Sullivants’ style of preaching and teaching: “If you’re a servant to God and his needy children, you don’t need to go around shouting how saintly you are.”
Being a simply-minded former farm boy, I tend to be on the “quiet side” of spirituality, as opposed to a show-off “mouthy and bragging” form of religion, i.e., Jimmy “Tears Flowing on TV” Swaggart.
With that said, let’s get down to prayerful present-day political correctness.
Don’t know about you, but I’ve had it up past my arrears with “political correctness,” including when folks say there ain’t no praying in schools.
Back in my rural school of advanced thinking and higher ciphering, when I needed a miracle to pass algebra, I prayed.
I prayed hard.
I never passed algebra.
But does that mean God didn’t recognize my school house algebraic praying?
I think prayer works, for in expanded adulthood prayerful wisdom, I’ve adjusted my praying, thanking God that I’ve never needed algebra to make a living for me and mine.
And as long as there are hard tests to be taken in school houses of America, I don’t care what any judge or politician decrees, there’ll be praying there. Amen!
Being a former board member for a major hospital, legalistically, I could not ask prospective physicians wanting to move to beautiful Middle Tennessee, sometimes described by our Chamber of Commerce as “God’s Country,” about their “religion.”
But I could ask those doctors whether they think “prayer” helps in healing and health care.
Not one, out of hundreds of medical professionals I asked that question, prescribed that prayer does not help in a person’s healing and general wellness overall.
I was touched in February 2011 when StoneCrest heart physician Nelson Mangione diagnosed that needed open-heart surgery.
When he asked if I was a praying man, I replied: “I am now!”
There are respected scientific studies verifying that prayer helps in soothing and healing ways.
Having survived three major surgeries in 2011, I’m praying fervently that I won’t need miracle life-saving surgery in 2012.
And Tim Tebow, you go boy.
I pray that you and God kicked New England’s arrogant butts.
But God, in case you and Tebow didn’t take the Patriots down Saturday, how about helping Eli Manning today, put a Giant-sized whooping on those uppity Glacial Packers.
Lord, I personally knew Eli Manning’s God-fearing and humble good-to-the-bone grandmother, the late Mrs. Williams down in Philadelphia, Miss., so if you can help Eli out, we’d prayerfully appreciate your influence.
And Lord, about those St. Louis Cardinals when Spring Training begins in a month down in Florida…???? Amen!!