I just came from speaking at chapel at the school where Joshua and Abby Kate attend. I was milling around the chapel area before everyone got there. The first class arrived and the students were all standing single-file by the door, waiting for their teacher to give them the OK to enter the chapel room. While they were waiting, the cute little blonde girl at the head of the line poked her head in the room, took one look at me and then, in full voice, says, “Eeewwwww, gross!!!!!!!“. She even pointed at me as she said it. She gave me a disgusted look and then turned back to her teacher.

Chapel started and the kids did all the things they normally do: we sang Jesus Loves Me; we said a prayer; we said the Pledge of Allegiance; we sang “Happy Birthday” to one of the kids. Then it was my turn to get up and tell the Bible story for the day. As soon as I got to the front, this kid on the second row says, again in full voice, “BORING!!!!” Everyone snickered, including me. I wonder how many adults want to scream out the same thing when their preachers assume the pulpit on Sunday mornings! He had to spend the rest of chapel in the back of the room, a small price to pay for a laugh of that magnitude.

Boring I can live with. Preachers are used to putting people to sleep. But gross? Come on! That just hurts!