A Parking Lot Prayer Answered

I drove to church today full of the devil. We went to the 5pm service and the second half of the K.U. game was on the radio. I was indignant before I put the kids in the car. The Jayhawks squandered a big second half lead and were down by seven points as we drove to worship.

Our church has a large congregation. That's one reason they offered the afternoon service. I dropped off the family and parked the car and waited for the end of the game. The 'Hawks gradually cut the lead until they finally forged ahead in the waning seconds. People parked their cars and walked past me. I wasn't sure what the best posture for church parking lot game listening was. Should I keep my hands on the wheel? Crack the windows so all could hear the audio and deduce that I wasn't some weirdo hanging out? Hundreds of cars filled the lot and then Aaron Miles hit a free throw that put us up by two points with less 25 seconds in the game. Oklahoma State's John Lucas, who missed one shot all day, put up a three pointer to win it for the visitors at the buzzer, except it missed, and K.U. won the game and the day.

I turned off the radio and pulled the keys out of the ignition. All over the parking lot, heads emerged like Kansas prairie dogs. Our collective parking lot curses and prayers had been answered. The dozens of church going basketball fans, who waited for the final outcome of today's monumental game thinking they were alone in their devotion, filed inside together in silence, cognizant of bargains struck in the heat of the shot clock, and the power that went beyond of the brick and mortar of Allen Field House.