We always go to church as a family, and this week will be no different.”
Lindsay pulled the covers over her head and stopped short of saying something to her mom that she might live to regret.
“Breakfast is in fifteen minutes,” Lindsay’s mom said as she left the room.
She knew that there was no way out of it. Shealso knew that if she let her mom know just how tired she was, Lindsay wouldn’t be allowed to do sleepovers with the girls anymore, especially if it interfered with church. She slowly sat up and let her eyes grow accustomed to the bright sunshine that filled her room. Sleepily she made her way to the bathroom in the hallway, where she brushed her teeth and her hair—grateful that she had taken a shower the night before—and splashed water on her face. Lindsay applied just the barest hint of makeup, hoping it would help liven her face and keep her from looking so tired.
Shuffling back to her bedroom, she pulled open her closet door and began to sort through her dresses and skirts, looking for an outfit that would perk her up. Finding just the perfect thing, Lindsay slipped into a light brown skirt cut just above the knee—almost too short for her mom’s taste—and a cute denim top. On her way out of the room, she stopped in front of the mirror and clipped her hair back on one side with a silver butterfly clip, sprayed on a squirt of perfume, and, satisfied with the finished product, headed downstairs with two minutes to spare.
“Well, there she is,” Mom said in her usually cheery voice.
“I was thinking we’d have to send in the troops to drag her out,” Lindsay’s dad added.
Rolling her eyes and laughing, Lindsay reached for her plate and took a spoonful of scrambled eggs and two pieces of bacon.
“Father,” her dad began to pray, “please bless this food and nourish our bodies and our souls today. We give this day to You to use for Your glory. Amen.” Lindsay and her mom added their amens and began to eat.
On the way to church, Lindsay’s mom turned in her seat so that she could see Lindsay. “So, how was Friday night over at Sam’s? What did you girls do all night?”
“Oh, it was fun. We stayed up kind of late and talked and played some games.”
“What kind of games did you play?” Mrs. Martin pressed uncharacteristically.
“Oh, nothing really, just some different games and one that Sam made up.” Lindsay wondered what her mom was getting at—this line of questioning seemed a little out of the ordinary.
“Well, I got a call from Mrs. Lowell, Sam’s mom. It seems that she got up this morning andwent to make some breakfast. She was surprised to find something in the freezer. What do you suppose she found there, Linds?”
“It was just a dare that Kelly had to do. She … um … well, you probably already know what she had to do,” Lindsay stammered, trying not to laugh.
“Yes, it appears that she put Scott Lowell’s baseball shoes in a pot of water and froze them,” her mom said sternly.
Even from her spot in the backseat, Lindsay could see that her dad was trying very hard not to laugh—and he was losing the battle.
“Whatever possessed you girls to do that?” Mrs. Martin asked.
“Oh, come on,” Lindsay’s dad jumped in. “It’s just a harmless prank. We all did things like that. It’s a pretty clever one, too, if you ask me.”
Relieved that she had her dad on her side, Lindsay looked back at her mom, who was carefully choosing her next words.
“Lindsay, I just want you to be aware that harmless pranks can still be costly to people and cause harm. Also, one harmless prank often leads to another until, before you know it, you’retrapped into doing something that never would have happened if you hadn’t gone down that road to begin with. Do you know what I’m saying, sweetie?”
“Yeah, Mom, I get it. I’ll be careful. I promise.”
“Just keep in mind what I said. Damage can be done even when you think it’s perfectly harmless.”
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