Saturday night my sweet daughter surprised me with a belated birthday dinner. It was delicious and nice to have someone cook for me.

After we ate, my grandchild decided to watch a movie and slipped Talladega Nights into the DVD player. Now, I’ve never seen this movie and didn’t watch it to the end on Saturday. The part I did see was completely nuts.

My favorite part, and the one I thought most outrageous, was the scene with Ricky Bobby delivering the blessing before a meal. He made his prayer to the “baby” Jesus, as opposed to the adult, because that is the one he preferred.

I laughed as I listened to him bless and thank for everything from his money to his nutty best friend and his sexy wife. The absurdity of the prayer is what made it so funny.

Of course, we love the movies because stuff like that happens on the big screen not in real life, right? Well, back up folks, because sometimes that is not the case.

Apparently, before a race in Nashville, and probably about the time I watched the Talladega Nights prayer, Pastor Joe Nelms let loose with an invocation that Ricky Bobby would surely endorse.

He began his prayer by acknowledging that the Lord said in all things give thanks. From there he proceeded to indeed be thankful for many things — the mighty machines, the Dodges, the Fords, the Toyotas, GM performance technology, Sonoco fuel, the Goodyear Tires “that bring performance and power to the track” (this part sounded a little like a commercial message, or maybe God is just a big fan of Goodyear Tires).

Then, in Ricky Bobby fashion, Brother Nelms thanked the Lord for his “smokin’ hot wife, Lisa,” and his two children that they call, “the little ‘Es.” Finally, he closed the prayer “in Jesus’ name, booty, booty, boogity, Amen.” Of course, by the end, pretty much everyone listening was laughing, and I’m sure that’s true for all the folks who watch it on YouTube.

The Talladega Nights connection popped into my head before I noticed that was the connection made by a great many people who commented on the video and also by the Huffington Post. So, we have life imitating the movies I guess.

Of course, some of those posting are unhappy about the Baptist minister’s prayer because apparently using boggity and Jesus in the same sentence is major breaking of some commandment. Others got into the spirit and added their own prayer requests.

For example, “Lord, may we be allowed to follow our natural urges and turn to the right once in a while?” And, one from a person who is obviously not a racing fan, “Oh Lord, whilst thou please smite these NASCAR idiots for wasting gasoline at a time when oil reserves are rapidly shrinking?”

I watched the clip of the prayer more than once and laughed a little more every time. It was the same experience I had watching Ricky Bobby pray to his “baby Jesus.”

Now I know some folks are upset with Pastor Nelms, but I agree with one of the people who said if we are images of the creator surely that means God has a sense of humor.

Maybe the good Lord in his infinite wisdom knew with all the mess and stress that gets into our consciousness via the nightly news, it was time for a little comic relief. And he called on his good servant Pastor Joe Nelms to bring it forth.

So, I say thank you, Brother Nelms, for reminding us that life and faith don’t have to be so heavy and serious. And indeed, we should give thanks for all things, especially, Goodyear Tires, NASCAR and smoking’ hot wives.