Expensive Medicine and Bedtime Prayers

This week the Median Sib told a story of a prayer by one of her grandchildren. It reminded me of a child's prayer from a couple of years ago.

One of our granddaughters, barely 5 years old at the time, became acutely aware of the rising cost of medical care and prescription drugs and "took it to the Lord in prayer."

She went with her mother to the pharmacy to pick up some medicine that had been prescribed. Since their usual co-pay for a prescription was $7-10, our daughter did not bring much cash with her. She had a $20 bill in hand prepared to pay when the pharmacist said, "That will be $100." Taken aback, our daughter told the pharmacist that she would have to go home, get more money, and come back later to pick up the prescription.

Apparently this made a big impression on N., because at bedtime later that evening, as the children said their prayers, she added to the end of the prayer, "And, God, we're just really sad that medicine costs $100! We can't believe it!"

I loved that chatty comment at the end. It's a far cry from the formal tone that most of us use in prayer, isn't it?