And the Winner Is

Our youngest daughter was on American Idol a couple of years ago. Actually, I should say "we were on American Idol." She was the contestant who made it to the second round of auditions. I was just one of her groupies. Our little family group happened to be caught on camera while waiting in line that morning, and our faces flashed across America's television screens for almost a full two seconds when the season opened. It was heady stuff.

The experience was surreal. None of us had ever been so close to Hollywood, and it pretty much fit my expectations. The longer I sat in the family room during auditions, the more I prayed God did not have this particular path in mind for Charity's life. Even so, I was momentarily crushed when she didn't make the second cut. 

On the way to the car, Charity described her brief audition. She told us when she stepped out the door afterwards, a camera man was waiting to catch her reaction. Some contestants had fled crying; others had vowed to fly to the next city and try out again right away. The camera man was expecting similar drama from Charity when he said, "So, what are you going to do next?"

Charity thought for just a second and then said,"Umm. I think I'll go home and start a family with my husband."

And so she did. Instead of going on tour with the Idol finalists the next year, Charity started singing lullabies to her newest fan. 

I think she won the best prize.