Putting My Prayers Into Action

In my post, "I Prayed to Marry a Preacher," I mentioned how I prayed for my daddy while he was living a sinful life. Daddy spent his money on the bottle and we didn't have much as we grew up. As I listened to him snoring in his drunken slumber, I knelt by my bed and prayed that he might not die in that condition. I loved him and didn't want to see my daddy die lost. Here is the rest of the story.

Daddy became sick and was admitted to the hospital. He had been in there several days in the small town of Elba, AL. I worked with the Mayor and City Clerk and our office was located right off the city square. Dr. Bancroft Cooper's office was within walking distance and he was caring for daddy. One day an idea came to me concerning my daddy. I knew Dr. Cooper. He was my doctor too. I called his office and made an appointment to go and "talk" to him about daddy. I don't recall how long it was until the appointment, but it wasn't too long. I remember walking into Dr. Cooper's office and him inviting me to sit down across from his desk.

"Dr Cooper," I said, "My daddy is in the hospital and you are caring for him. All my life, all I have ever known is my daddy drinking. I wouldn't ask you to lie for anything in the world, but if you could tell my daddy something to make him, or scare him, so he would stop drinking you would make our house a home."

I don't remember what Dr. Cooper said to me, but my mission was over and I returned to my office.

Daddy got out of the hospital in a few days and on a Wednesday morning I stuck my head into his room before leaving for work. Daddy said, "I thought I would get to talk to that little preacher, but I never did." I knew he was talking about our local preacher, Raymond Elliott. He probably had visited with Daddy every day he was in the hospital. He was so good to visit people.

I went on to work and the city of Elba closed at noon on Wednesdays. That morning brother Elliott called me at work and asked how daddy was doing. I told him he was at home and better, but I did not tell him what Daddy had said to me that morning before I left for work. We hung up and I went home at noon.

I had mowed the yard that afternoon, came in the house and got a bath, and washed my long hair. Raymond Elliott came to visit Daddy and I felt like I had to be in the living room with them because mother was gone to work. Daddy was seated on the sofa, Raymond on a matching chair, and I was on the swivel rocker. I really wanted to get out of there and go roll and dry my hair.

To anger my Daddy was not something I liked to do. He had a bad back hand slap up side of the head that I didn't like to receive. I decided I would take a chance, and I said, "Daddy, didn't I hear you say this morning that you wished you could have talked to the preacher?" The pause and the silence was long. Daddy looked over at me and said, "Yes I did." Whew! Raymond was up off his chair ushering me out of that room, and closing the door behind me, in no time flat! I went to do my hair.

I was sitting under the old bonnet type dryer on the side of my bed when I heard daddy coming down the hall. I was so afraid of what he might say to me and how angry he might be. He came to my door and stopped.......and said, "Glenda, you have company." A friend from Enterprise had come to visit me. I was so relieved I didn't know what to do.

Daddy asked to go to church with us the following Sunday, and that is the day I will never forget. Douglas and I were seated in the center section half way to the front, when during the invitation song I looked over to the left aisle and saw my daddy walking to the front. He confessed living in sin for over 30 years. I had lived 21 of those with him at that time. Daddy laid down his smoking, his drinking, his cursing and our house became a home. God answered my prayers. Daddy died in 1985 as a Deacon in the Elba church of Christ. He made the statement after he returned to the Lord that he couldn't understand why anyone would want to drink.

For years I didn't know what Dr. Bancroft Cooper said to daddy, and one time I was telling this story to my older brother, Hoyt Williams. He said, "Well, I know." I asked, "You do? How do you know?" He said, "Because Daddy told me." Anxiously I asked, "Well, what did he say?" Hoyt said, "Dr. Cooper walked into the room one morning and said, 'Mr. Williams,' and daddy said, 'Yeah Doc.' 'Do you want to live?' Daddy replied, 'Yeah Doc, I want to live.' 'Then you have to give up your drinking. We have found a spot on your liver.'

This is just another time that I know God answered my prayers and I am so thankful He did. One day I believe I will be reunited with my daddy on the other side.