Breasts? Really?

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Nancy’s clutched the Bible and stared at the verses she was to read aloud.  Song of Solomon 7:7 and Song of Solomon 8:1-----Seriously?  I am supposed to read THAT aloud??

Nancy whispered to Sister Opal, “Would you trade verses with me?  I would really appreciate it.”

She must have sounded too desperate, for Sister Opal turned her down flat, holding onto her Psalms 42: 1, 2 tightly. 

Preacher began calling on the verses to be read.  

'What'll I do...what'll I do?  I can't say those words.'  Her mind raced.  'Should I go to the bathroom?  Throw up here in the Sanctuary....'  The answer came from something her Speech and Debate teacher told her.  So she did exactly that.

Nancy’s turn came.  She stood tall, pulled her shoulders back and tilted her chin up. Clearing her throat, while making eye contact with the expectant faces turned to see her, Nancy spoke in a clear and loud voice, pausing at the commas.  She emphasized the important nouns, and let her voice reach to all. Just as she had been coached during Speech Contests.

“Song of Solomon 7:7, This thy stature is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes…chapter 8:8,  O that thou wert as my brother, that sucked the breast of my mother…”

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Silence fell across the small sanctuary, then some snickers erupted and throats cleared.  Flustered, Preacher looked at Nancy and then down at his list.  “Let’s move on, shall we?” 

Sister Opal leaned over and whispered to Nancy, “There are some verses that shouldn’t oughta be in the Bible.  That there is some of ‘em.”

Bible Verse: Song of Solomon

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Wednesday night Bible study, prayer, and praise meeting was a command performance for everyone in the small church.  If one was absent, either they had to be very ill, called out of town, dying or dead, or buried in the local cemetery.  No pass cards were ever given.

Nancy had no choices, being a freshman in high school who was unfailingly healthy.  The only tolerable point of Wednesday night was stopping by the small grocery to buy gum or candy.  The owner’s teenage boys manned the store then, and it was a chance to flirt.

This one Wednesday night was to be a real test for Nancy. 

Preacher had decided to change the order of service, move people out of their comfort zones.  The teenage contingent sitting solidly in the back rows were being scattered around the congregation, to sit next to some of the elderly ‘saints’. 

Nancy was placed next to Sister Opal, a dear woman in her mid-eighties.  Well, this isn’t so bad…

Then Preacher handed out slips of paper with a Bible scripture address to be looked up.   “When I call out the reference, y’all stand and read the verses.” 

Sister Opal opened her slip, something in Psalms.  Nancy opened hers, something in the Song of Solomon.  She looked it up.  Oh, dear God!  Please save me…

What will happen?  Will Nancy read these verses?  Will she drop dead of embarrassment???