Day 138: Gas pump prayers

I'm not going to advocate everyone should do this. But I've found it's a great way at least to try to witness. You're parked next to someone you most likely don't know and will never see again. So why not just take two quick steps to say something -- anything -- about your faith?

Today was my third day in a row of doing this. (Yesterday, I didn't actually get gas, however. It was a stop-and-go gas pump prayer.) Today, I just needed half a tank to fill up, but I met a woman who was standing next to a large white Cadillac. She was about 50 years old, and she said I could pray for her.

So I did, praying that she would have a blessed evening on New Year's Eve. And when I finished praying, her head was still bowed. "And please bless him, too," she prayed. I thanked her for that and that I appreciated her prayer. She said the same. Then she drove off, and so did I. We went opposite directions.

Day 137: Cool

She was standing at the gas pump wearing a Kansas Jayhawk sweatshirt. I guess that's what I noticed most about her. That and she was short. She stood there squinting up at me through her glasses when I asked her my question.

She looked tired, but seemed to relax some when she understood what I wanted. It was like a big sigh went out of her. I got the impression it had been a long day. "Sure. That's cool," she replied. So I prayed for her there, that God would make Himself known to her in whatever it was she was doing that night.

Day 136: One earbud

I waited for him to finish washing the windows of his car, and then again during the slow process of waiting for his receipt to be spit out of the gas pump. He was a tall guy, dressed like he had just gotten off work. He had an earbud in one ear. I don't know what he was listening to. I pictured him as an architect or an advertising executive or someone else in one of those creative fields.

I still was filling my car with gas when he finally stepped toward his door. I asked him my question then, and he stopped. That familiar puzzled look crossed his face then. Behind his uplifted eyebrows I'm sure he was thinking how strange this was. But he said yes. Something caused him to say yes. I don't know what it was. Maybe he didn't want to offend me. Great!

So I prayed there for him as he was tidying up his receipt. He smiled a little then and thanked me.

Day 135: Movies

Mary and I went to the movies tonight. A rare thing. It's been a couple of years since the last one, but I had the day off from work and the kids were at a sleep-over at their grandparents' house, so why not?

The guy taking tickets was in his 20s. His nametag identified him as Allen C. After he told us to head down the hallway to our right, I asked if I could pray for him.

He didn't seem too surprised by this, and he said that I could. So I prayed there for him, that God would bless his work that evening. Allen C. didn't seem to actively take part in the prayer, at least as far as I could tell. He just had a little smile on his face when I looked up at him. So I just thanked him and walked down the hall.

Day 134: A hairnet

Today was the day we started potty-training Sam, our 2-year-old. Never an easy task. I was sent out to get pull-up diapers to assist with the effort, as well as some stickers as rewards for success. We've not yet had success.

So I was walking out of Walmart with my pull-ups and stickers when I saw a guy cleaning the windows on the little deli inside the store. He was a Walmart employee, a short, stocky guy wearing a hairnet. I stopped next to him to ask my question.

"Hu\h," he said, glancing at met out of the corner of his eye. He never really stopped wiping down the window. "Can I pray for you?" I asked again. He considered this for just a moment, still wiping, and then said briskly, "No." Then his back was full to me, and he was really wiping now. So I wished him a good night and left.

I prayed for him on my way home.

Day 133: Walking in the cold

It was after 10 p.m., after a day with all sorts of family, and I went out on my special mission. The grocery store was closed. The gas station was closed. The liquor store was closed. But I saw two guys walking down the street toward yet another gas station. Figuring they were as available as anybody, I pulled in ahead of them and walked up to them.

They were teenagers, headed for the convenience store, probably glad to be rid of school nights for a little while. One of them had a hint of pink hair. Their names were R.J. and Alex. When I asked to pray for them, one of them asked me why. So I told them, and this apparently satisfied them, because a second later I was praying for their safety and their warmth on a cold night.

Then they stuck out their hands, and we shook on it, chatted for a few seconds and parted. It was a pleasant meeting. There was no hint of suspicion on their part or even reluctance.

Day 132: Christmas Day

Merry Christmas.

I had to make a special trip today to find someone who was working on Christmas Day and who might need a prayer. Not much is open. But Kwik Shop was. A guy with a mustache and glasses, named Billy, was working the counter. He didn't have much to say when I noted he was working on Christmas. But he didn't hesitate to say I could pray for him. But, he said, I should be quick. He had customers.

So I was quick. I hope he had a good Christmas.