The Sandwich Kid, Part IV

Procastination, reluctance, dread, guilt -- all of these have had a hand in my getting back to my installments on being a middle child.  You might remember reading Parts 1, 2 and 3.

Each of the reasons I've listed are due in part to the fact that as the middle child between two brothers, one 14 years older and the other eight years younger, sooner or later you must know that I had to find ways to get even with them.  You know you were expecting this, right?

My brother Eugene (Bubba) (R) and his
best friend, Clyde (Buzz)

I'll start with things occurring related to my older brother.  I must have been about four years old at the time.  I knew his room was off limits.  He was about 18 and graduating high school soon.  In this photo, he's the good looking one on the right.

One afternoon I became curious as to why I wasn't supposed to be in his room.

Mama was busy and I could hear her in the kitchen.  So I tiptoed in and began to look around.  Nothing was of great interest to a four year old.  Until I spied bright colors on the corner of what looked like a piece of paper peeking out from under his bed.

And there it was!  Shiny and glossy.  Beautiful pictures, beautiful ladies!  I had to share them with Mama.  I grabbed as many as my hands would hold and ran to the kitchen.

"Mama, mama!  Look what I found under Bubba's bed!  Magazines with pretty ladies all over the pages.  They're all so beautiful."

Photo credit

Mama wheeled around and took one look at what I was holding.  Imagine her horror when she saw the masthead on the stack of magazines I was sharing with her.

I use this simple image to the right to maintain at least a modicum of tastefulness here.  :)

Well, the worst wasn't over.  Of course, Mama just had to confront Gene when he came home from school that afternoon.

And the worst was when he stopped me in the hallway and to down close to my face.

"If you ever snoop around in my room again or show mama something you've found because you can't stop snooping, I'll kill you!"

Well, you could say he had my attention at this point.  I refused to let him see me cry so I backed across the hall and pushed my way into my room and quietly closed the door.

Already I believed firmly that God's words were to be honored:

And that's about it, friends. Be cheerful. Keep things in good repair.

Keep your spirits up. Think in harmony. Be agreeable. Do all that,

and the God of love and peace will be with you for sure. 

2 Corinthians 13:11-13 (The Message) 

The Gift of Intercession

This quote by Alfred Lord Tennyson says a lot about the hidden benefits and qualities of prayer.  His words indicate that much is done by prayer that no one is ever really aware of.  Indeed, answered prayer is not always obvious to us because we may be expecting another answer.

However, we have been given a special gift -- the gift of interceding for one another and even those who may be unaware of our prayers on their behalf.  Intercessory prayer is a gift given to us by God.  Often we see the gift only when we are praying for someone else.  And yet I know many times when I've been the recipient of God's blessings, healing, and understanding because of the prayers of my church family, my own family, and many friends.  In Timothy 2:1-3, Paul writes to the church about intercessory prayer:

"I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and
thanksgiving be made for all people—"

In many churches today, a time is reserved during the worship service for prayer requests in the form of joys and concerns.  Many church newsletters carry lists of those in need of prayer.  If we are indeed gifted with intercessory prayer, we should be making note of these needs and lifting them to God during the coming week.

Today Beck Gambill in her Thursday Sister to Sister post references Ephesians 6:18 which speaks to praying for "all the Lord's people."  These are powerful words, and we take them to heart to strengthen the family of God and to continue His work here on earth, today and tomorrow and forever.

Won't you join me over at Beck's site today and read more of Beck's post?  Linking up with her at

http://www.beckfarfromhome.blogspot.com/