The oddest thing happened this last weekend at the local Wally World. Tabor, Tate and I were in the fishing aisle, surprise. Well, this wide-eyed young woman approached us, obviously trying to get eye contact with one of us. Then it happened. She caught my eye and said, "Jesus, loves you!" A statement rarely heard in the largest retailer in the world. "Welcome to Walmart" is rarely followed by these three words.

This isn't the odd thing though. The next few moments absolutely stopped me in my tracks. She then said, "Say it with me, Lord......" I froze. I then looked to Tabor, as if he was going to rescue me with some, "I think I am going to vomit small chunks of corn, can we go?" Nothing. I then turned to Tate, in the cart. He was absorbed in some item he had snatched off nearest kiosk, and assumed that item allowed him to remain detached from the entire scenario.

Since I was literally struck dumb by those five words, all I could do was, weakly, roll out, "Lord?.?" The young woman, somewhat vacantly proceeded to walk me through a prayer of salvation. Since Tabor had disappointed me in his scapegoat skills, I slowly drew the young aisle evangelist's eyes toward him. Busted! He's now forced into joining the prayer.

It was over in moments. It ended with "Amen, Jesus loves you". Within seconds, she then leaned down to Mr. Off-the-Hook sitting in the cart. She leaned into Tate at an uncomfortable distance and said, "Jesus loves you.... Say it with me, Lord". Tabor and I were now on the outside and enjoying every minute of his squirming.

Later, we saw our little friend approach another Walmart patron with the same plan of attack, word for word.

As I have recounted this story with family and friends, I am struck by a couple of things. As a Christian, my sole purpose on this earth is to carry out the Great Commission. Acts 1:8. Be a witness unto Him in Jerusalem and the fishing aisle at Walmart. However, to be a WITNESS to Christ, I must do two things. One, by definition, I need to give a firsthand account of an experience I have had. Maybe aisle-salvation-plan lady did that. As someone brought to my attention, thanks Joyce, this may have been how she was saved. Fine. I would think rarely effective, but fine.

The second thing that is crucial in being a witness for Christ, is to form some kind of relationship. This can take many forms from a friendship built through the years, to a chance encounter at a department store. This didn’t happen. It wasn’t even attempted. Had this occurred, my friend would have learned that I prayed this prayer in December of 1978, and pray it daily. Just think, we could have rejoiced together.

I think Walmart-For-Christ woman was sincere, but I seriously question if she is lead to witness, by God. At least there was a lesson in it for my sons and I as we have talked over the last few days. Acts1:8 has a prerequisite, Mark 12:31. Read it.

There is something, not genetic, but generic about kids. It's something given to every child, at birth, and I'm clinging to it.

It's that thing that makes a kid set his arm on the rolled down window of a car and roll it half way up then back down about twenty times on the way to "they don't care where".

It's that same "gene" that takes over moments later as they do that wind tunnel arm wave with that same window down.

It also makes kids laugh at flatulence.

On the cleaner side, I think kids, unknowingly, let the gene take over when mature logic just wouldn't. Like...

*The love of swimming in water just above freezing, while those losing the "gene" shutter at the thought.

*The sheer joy of being scared.

*The ability to burn every calorie off of a box of chicken nuggets, by simply fighting off a ticklefest from mom or dad.

Now, my "middle life crisis", is to find a way to hang onto "the gene".

So, I'm going to play. Laugh hard. Play tag/kickball until I need a drink of water at any temperature. Stretch so hard I shake when I wake up in the morning. Crunch candy instead of suck on it.

Who knows, I might even jump into a freezing cold swimming pool, without a toe test.

Don't pursue happiness, create it.

If your not sure how to create it, watch a kid..............doing anything.