Funny Guy Friday... Hail Mary, Full of Grace...

    Funny Guy Friday is written each week by my husband Mark. So, I married a funny guy...
    I still remember the first time. I was as nervous as I had ever been. I sat and watched and listened to those that went before me. Sweat dripped from my forehead... I had to get it right.
    I thought I had it... but then the unthinkable happened... my turn rolled around and they skipped right over me.
    Of course, I am talking about the first time I had ever heard the Rosary. I was at a friend's house after their father had passed away. At the time, I was not Catholic... but all my friends were. On a side note, my friends made quite an impression on me when no matter what we did, or where we went, they always made it to mass on Sunday. Pretty impressive when you consider that I was typically the designated driver... and they were not... if you know what I mean.
    Anyway, a priest arrived and suggested that we all pray the Rosary. 
    I was raised as a Lutheran and I had never really heard a Hail Mary on our side of the tracks... except on Sundays when some team threw a bomb in the waning seconds of a football game!  
    Now the priest definitely said all pray the Rosary... not just the Catholics in the crowd. To be fair, I thought we were all going to put our hand in the middle and raise them in the air while yelling HAAAAIL MARY!!!
     I was all in... and a bit embarrassed when mine was the only hand in the circle. I grabbed a seat in a semi-circle that had formed and the fun began.   
     Clearly the priest was going to lead the thing, as he was first to pull out his necklace. These were popular necklaces because everyone had one... except for me.
     I was not sure which way this Hail Mary was going to run so I cleverly picked a spot directly across from the priest. I wasn't going to be the last one called on... but more importantly, I was not going to be first.
     I had to get the lay of the land.   
     As I suspected, the priest was the lead-off hitter. He started off with the Apostle's Creed. I kind of knew this one. At least there was something familiar about it. Then he led us all in the Lord's Prayer (er uh...The Our Father). I was good with this... in fact, I was great with this. As it turned out, I was the only one in the room that knew the whole thing.
     These so called "good Catholics" couldn't remember the ending. They all just stared at me... in awe, I am guessing as I finished the prayer. It appeared that the priest knew the ending, but I was not so sure because he also kind of stared at me and my awesomeness.
     Then the Hail Mary's started rolling. Three at first... something about Faith, Hope, and Charity. Just three... this should not take too long, I thought. But then it kept going. There was like ten of them at a time... then the Our Father and this Glory Be thingamajig. I was trying to figure it out, but there was a lot going on.
     In all seriousness, I was listening intently and trying to keep up. I thought I had it figured out when, my good Catholic friend jumped in and took over my turn. All that anxiety for nothing... my prayers were answered. The Blessed Mother had come to my rescue.
     I bring this up because the Month of May is dedicated to Mary. Most nights, our family has been praying the Rosary.
     Just so everyone knows, I became a Catholic about twenty-four years ago. Since converting, I have learned all the prayers of the Rosary... and have forgotten the end of the Our Father. I have my very own necklace. In fact, when my father passed away, I was going through one of his drawers and found a rosary that belonged to his father. It was old and it had a musty smell to it. I loved it!
     My father took the opposite approach to religion; he was Catholic and became Lutheran after meeting my mother. But he kept his father's rosary all those years.
     Obviously, it was special to him and it is very special to me. It is the only thing that I have of his... not counting my mother who lives with us. She too is old... but not musty at all!
     So before I say anything stupid... er, uh more stupid about my mother, I offer up this Hail Mary for all of you reading this...
     Hail Mary... Full of Grace
     The Lord is with thee
     Blessed art thou amongst women and 
     Blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus
     Holy Mary, Mother of God
     Pray for us sinners 
     Now and at the hour of our death!  Amen.
   
     Have a blessed week!