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One Grandma, trying to let the light of Jesus shine through me. . . reaching out into the darkness with love to little hands, hearts and minds . . .for Jesus.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Have You Ever Told A True, Funny Story. . .That You Regretted Afterwards?

I am afraid I have. . .and just recently!  My granddaughters love to hear old true stories of when I was young, or their Papaw was young. . .or just days gone by before they came on the scene. We tell some of the same stories over and over because they are the kids favorites.  It is so much fun to give them our history in a personal story telling way, and it also keeps the people who have passed away close in their hearts.  Because they know the stories about them, they feel like they know them.

Anyway, about two weeks ago we had the grands (Stan's) over for a night while their folks went
out of town to do some business.  It was lots of fun and as usual when things got quiet the girls wanted to hear "stories of the past".  We decided to tell them about G.F.  and her "letter writing" and phone calling pranks she would do. . .and her brother George was also famous for his "phone calls".  They would call someone in the church and act like they were a person from another country. . .the women they called would get all excited about the phone calls and one lady even testified about getting a call from London, England. . .but we knew it was really from G. F. and he'd made the phone call from Bro.R.G.W.'s (now a pastor) home. 

They laughed and then we told them how G.F. would write notes to people in the church . . .
like one to Sis. W. P. (who gave piano lessons) said. . .'Do you know who I can get to give me piano lessons that won't cost me an arm and a leg?'  and she signed it Sis. A.J..   Then another time she wrote a note to Sis Rachel Martin, who was sitting in the band on close to the front row. . .the note said, 'Sis. Rachel, I have been noticing your godly dress standards and would like to talk to you and Bro. Greg.  Please meet me in front of my office after service.' and it was signed Bro. Billy Brown.   Well. . .Rachel's neck and face broke out in that flush she does and she was very nervous the rest of the service.  G.F. and her friends were sitting back just enjoying her reaction to the note.  After service Greg and Rachel went out and stood by Bro. Brown's  office door awaiting the meeting with both nervousness and excitement. . .they waited . . .and waited. . .and waited, until finally Bro. Brown went walking by them on his way out the door for home. G.F. and her friends were off watching and they cracked up when the Martins realized they had been set up!  Greg and Rachel were ready to "get" some kids and they felt like they'd been made a fool of, but they also thought it was funny after all was said and done.  Well, these are only two of the many stories we told them that night.

We also told them of a time when Stan and either S.L. or J.B.  (maybe all three) wrote a letter to S.H. and signed it from L.R.B.  They actually wrote the note in the band and gave it to L.R.B. asking her to pass it to S.H., so he really thought it was from her and she didn't have a clue as to what they were doing.  The note said something like. . .'I like you, do you like me?  Yes___No___Maybe___' Check the right answer.'  Well, L.R.B. really wasn't the least bit interested in S.H., the boys were just pulling a prank.  L.R.B. was really upset when she found out what they'd done, but only for a little bit.  Poor S.H. was thinking he was really "something". . .and that was the meanest part of the prank.
That's the problem with pranks, they're not FUN for everyone involved. 

Anyway, after telling the girls these stories I think it inspired
one of them to try something like
it herself.  She and another church girl wrote a note and signed a good, faithful friend's name to it. . . and she was hurt by this. . .as were her parents.  It was just in play, but it was only FUN for the ones who thought it up.  I  realize this was just kids being kids. . .but  we will need to be more sensitive to the feelings of others.  My little grand daughter cried and cried. . .she was in trouble with her folks, and she'd hurt her friend and her friend's folks.  It was like an episode  right off the set of  Anne of Green Gables or Little House on the Prairie. . .  something Nellie Olsen or maybe Laura Ingalls would do.  The girls did confess to the boy that they had  written the note themselves, not the girl whose name was written on it.  

So, I will need to be more careful in the manner I tell a funny story and make certain to let kids know that funny stories don't  turn out "fun" for you when you are pulling a prank. The Bible says if you dig a pit for someone to fall in to, you might end up being the one who falls in.  It's just not fun to hurt someone you love.   

I would just like to say I'm really sorry for the fault I have in this taking place.  There are "no winners" here, everyone loses when friendships are broken.  I hope mercy is greater than unforgiveness.  I know love can cover a multitude of sins.  All the girls involved in this little stunt are Christian young ladies.  I hope they will forgive one another and continue being the sweet "sisters" the Lord called them to be. 

I just hope I can be a better Grandmother in the future and make sure I don't inspire kids to do pranks, but I'd love to inspire them to do good deeds. . .and kind acts of love.  These are the kinds of actions we never have to feel badly about. They help inspire lasting friendships and trust. I felt very badly for my grand daughter, her friends and their parents. . .but I am confident the parents and  kids are strong enough in the Lord to keep this from being a stumbling block to their relationship in the future.


2 comments:

Rebecca said...

Brooklyn said this is not why she and the other girls chose to be mean....
Kids do things without thinking of the feelings of others.
Adults do things without thinking of the feelings of others.
It's a new day, hopefully she learned her lesson and will not repeat it.
THE END

Grandma (Peach) said...

I agree with you, but I do know she loved those funny stories and sometimes playing a mean trick seems like it would be so much fun after you've heard about someone else doing it.

Brooklyn is a great kid! Did you see that picture of Stan on the other posting where he's with the refs on the football field? It's a cute picture.