Jesus, take the wheel

I made the top three of the 2010 Pa Senior Idol.  Great fun!  Great networking!

From the time I was a small child, I was hungry for a daddy/daughter relationship.  My dad was a good guy, but a poor dad. Mom cried a lot and I felt the need to be a grownup from a very young age and protect her.

School was a horrible place for a fat, non- athletic kid, with the confidence of strained peas and a good helping of eczema all over her face and hands to boot.  I was the target of all the mean kids in school, but in the summer of '69 I had a life-changing experience.  The mean kids were still mean, but I suddenly acquired an amazing new BFF.

That summer when I was an "old" ten years old, my grandmother arranged for me to go to Christian camp courtesy of  the Hope Rescue Mission. 

During the week, I met the most wonderful counselor, an older teen, who took this pecked and abused chick under her   wings.

One evening there was an altar call, "Who wants to know Jesus?"

I was up and out of my seat, practically running to the shaky, wooden altar in the outdoor tabernacle.

"Do you want to know Jesus, little sister?" The altar worker asked.

"Yes, I do!" And I did and that was that.

From that point on, Jesus took my wheel. I never had the rebellious teen years; I was too busy trying to protect my mom from dad's nasty drinking, and I never wanted to lose Jesus.  He was the daddy who held me and loved me in spite of my physical, emotional and mental shortcomings.

When I auditioned for the PA Senior Idol a few weeks ago, I used the Carrie Underwood hit and stood with one hand holding the mike, my eyes closed and belted that song to Jesus.

That's how I always sing when something touches me deeply, for Jesus.

If the audience is blessed, well, that's great. But if not, that's fine too because I am singing for my daddy, the one that grabbed me at the altar that night almost a lifetime ago as I wrapped my arms around Him and wouldn't let go.

And He hasn't let go.  He has my wheel, my heart, my soul, my everything.

To Jesus I say, "Thank you, daddy.  I love you."