Absent

Years ago, when our son was probably about 3 years old, we visited my parents in Oklahoma. On Sundays we always went to church with my mother. One Sunday, my mom gave David a fifty-cent piece and told him to “give this to Jesus when we’re at church.” Well, we went to church and the kids sat between myself and Claire. I didn’t know that my Mom had given Dave the money and when the collection plate was passed he didn’t put anything in it — I didn’t expect him to. Anyhow, after church we went home and had “Sunday dinner” — a tradition at my parents house. During the meal, Dave was playing with the fifty cent piece my mom had given him. My mother said, “I thought you were going to give that to Jesus.” Dave’s reply was, “He never showed up.”
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