Several years ago, a radio station ran a contest. Disc jockeys invited their listeners to tune in their clock radios. “Just for fun,” they said, “when you wake up to the sound of FM-106, call and tell us the first words you spoke when you rolled out of bed. If you’re the third caller, you’ll win $106.”
It didn’t take long for the contest to grow in enthusiasm. The first morning, a buoyant disc jockey said, “Caller number three, what did you say when you rolled out of bed this morning?” A groggy voice said, “Do I smell coffee burning?”
Another day, a sleepy clerical worker said, “Oh no, I’m late for work.” Somebody else said her first words were, “Honey, did I put out the dog last night?” A muffled curse was immediately heard in the background, and then a man was heard to say, “No, you didn’t.” It was a funny contest and drew a considerable audience.
One morning, however, the third caller said something unusual. The station phone rang. “Good morning, this is FM-106. You’re on the air. What did you say when you rolled out of bed this morning?”
A voice with a Bronx accent replied, “You want to know my first words in the morning?”
The bubbly DJ said, “Yes, sir! Tell us what you said.”
The Bronx voice responded, “Shema, Israel … Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.” There was a moment of embarrassed silence. Then the radio announcer said, “Sorry, wrong number,” and cut to a commercial.
This story reminds me of what happened to me in Louisville, Kentucky 32 years ago. I was on a 5-week book tour promoting my book, Love Adds a Little Chocolate. I was staying at the Seelbach Hotel that was prominently featured in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 masterpiece, The Great Gatsby.
It was February and I had just had a long, busy week in Texas with TV interviews and book signings. On weekends I went back to my parish in Cicero, Illinois to do three masses and do my laundry as well. I caught a flight to Louisville late on a Sunday afternoon. My next scheduled appointment was on a Noon News TV show.
So I grabbed a late dinner in the dining room at the Seelbach Hotel. As I headed back to my room I encountered a group of 30 men smoking cigars and having a great time. They invited me to join them. They were all golf club managers from around the country in town for a meeting.
Needless to say I had a wonderful time and did not get back to my room until 2:00 am. I had a hard time falling asleep. I did not have someone picking me up until 11:30 am, or so I thought.
At 6:30 am the phone on the night stand rang as I was just getting to sleep. I tried to say, “Hello” but my voice sounded like a croaking frog. “Hello, is this Medard Laz?” asked a bubbling voice. I could barely say, yes.
“This is Ed Jones at Wonderful WDJX-FM and we’re going to be interviewing you in 5 minutes on your new book….Hold on!”
Panic!! This was NOT on my schedule. I flew into the bathroom and gargled, gargled, gargled with water. I tried talking, but my voice was shot. I prayed!! What would I say? I prayed some more! How could I carry on a conversation? More prayer. I popped a cough drop into my mouth and tried swallowing.
When the announcer got back on the phone I suggested that I read one of the stories from my book. We chatted a bit after I read my story. I did my best to keep my voice from cracking. My vocal pitch was in a whole different range, but none of the listeners knew what I really sounded like.
By the grace of God, I made it through. The rest of my day, it was one, “Thank you, Jesus” after another that I said to myself. I did not feel like the Great Gatsby and I certainly did not meet Daisy. But my life is always full of surprises….That’s why I love it so much!!
Try to remember. What did YOU say when YOU rolled out of bed today? Chances are, those words set the tone for the rest of YOUR day…
PRAY SO BIG AND SO OFTEN THAT WHEN GOD MEETS YOU AT HEAVEN’S GATE, GOD SAYS, “KID, YOU KEPT ME VERY BUSY!”
Others would enjoy my story. Please share it as well as my Podcast.
My new book, A POEM A DAY TO PRAY 2025, turned out very well. There are 365 poems of mine for 2025. I’m very pleased with the book. Please check it out at Amazon: https://treatsforthesoul.org/a-poem-a-day-to-pray/