While on vacation Willard and Matilda visited a notorious, but remote, congregation their pastor warned held services “too indecent for decent worship” so they could report back a few good words of condemnation against them.
With the service having gone on for hours and with no end in sight, Matilda told Willard, “Tell that girl behind us to stop giggling so much so I can hear the heresies the preacher is preaching.”
Willard said that for the past God knows how long the preacher hasn’t said anything worth noting but merely wandered up and down the rows of people touching some, here and there, who’d fall back laughing like idiots too dumb to stop.
“I have a mind to give him a piece of my mind before it’s too late,” Matilda said.
Willard wanted to say something, perhaps that it might already be too late, as Matilda, with eyes and mouth wide open, watched her husband giggle uncontrollably. Then, sensing the heavy ashes of mourning she didn’t know she was carrying transform into beautiful garments of praise, she herself began to laugh with tears flowing down her cheeks grateful that even she was loved enough to be anointed with the oil of gladness.
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Denise offers the prompt word “remote” to be used in this week’s Six Sentence Stories.

So powerful. Love it. Yes, indeed, love the oil of gladness.
Blessings my friend.
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Blessings, Michael, and thank you!
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Beautiful song
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Thank you and blessings, Jim!
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You are welcome brother Frank!
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I recognize the Biblical passage…
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Beautiful song! Thank you for linking it, John!
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Praise is comely for the upright. Ps. 33:1
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Amen and thank you, Mimi!
Psalm 33:1 “Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.”
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Enjoyed your response to the prompt!
Felt likecI was there…. laughing, too! 🙂
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May we all have that laughter. Blessings to you!
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How lovely in the end. Well done, Frank.
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Thank you, Chris! I am glad you liked the ending.
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damn!
I’ll see your CeCe Winans and raise you a Fred Hammond! (lol)
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Very nice song. That is the first time I heard Fred Hammond. Thank you for sharing it, Clark!
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Oil of gladness. Clever and touching, Frank.
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Thank you, Misky!
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A lovely story with a delightful ending, I’m still smiling!
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Thank you, Keith!
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Nothing wrong with a service that leaves you smiling, is there, Frank?
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I would rather be smiling than not. Thank you, Denise!
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I love the sweet, transformative optimism of this piece!
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Thank you, Liz! I wasn’t sure how to end this story until I sensed suddenly from somewhere that it was best to end it with joy.
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Wonderful!
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