I am sure all of you out there – just like me – have experienced embarrassing moments that stand out in your memory. The one I’m going to tell you about today happened when I was twelve years old. It was Easter weekend and my family was visiting my uncle and his family in Banner Elk, NC.

On Sunday morning our parents said for all the kids to go on ahead to Sunday School and the adults would come on later to the preaching service.

Of course, it didn’t take the boys very long at all to get ready. For me it was a different matter of course because I was almost a teenager and it just takes girls longer to get ready. I finally managed to finish getting my hair fixed like I wanted it and getting my new Easter outfit on so we could head out the door.

We went outside and all piled into my uncle’s old pickup truck. My cousin James had recently gotten his driver’s license, so he sat down behind the wheel. Next to him was his youngest brother, Allen, who stood up in the seat. I sat on the edge of the seat in front of Allen. Then there was brother Mike with cousin Ronnie sitting on his lap. Finally squeezed in next to the passenger door was brother Richard with baby brother Charles sitting on his lap. It’s a good thing none of us had a weight problem at that time or we wouldn’t have all been able to sit on that bench seat!!!

When we got down the road to that beautiful little church nestled at the foot of the mountain, we all jumped out and went into assembly. When assembly was over, then we went to our Sunday School classes. All of us older kids went with James and Ronnie and Charles went with Allen to the younger kids classroom. I thought that teacher’s eyes were gonna pop out of his head when he saw the five of us coming into his class. It was probably the fullest class he had ever had.

After Sunday School we all filed out into the sanctuary. Our parents hadn’t shown up for the preaching service so we all sat down on my uncle’s pew. (You know how it is; everybody has their own particular pew where they sit. Right?)

At eleven o’clock sharp, a little gray-haired man stepped up to the front of the church and said: “Everybody turn to page 232 in your Baptist Hymnal.” Then he started singing “Some glad morning when this life is o’er, I’ll fly away. To a home on God’s celestial shore, I’ll fly away. I’ll fly away, O glory, I’ll fly away. When I die hallelujah, by and by, I’ll fly away.” It just amazed me how beautiful that singing was. You see there was no piano; no guitar; no musical instruments of any kind; just good old fashioned gospel singing. I still think it was some of the prettiest singing I’ve ever heard because those folks just seemed to sing from the heart.

After church was over, we walked back outside to get back in the truck. Just as we started to get in, Richard said: “Oh by the way, Sis, I’ve been meaning to tell you all morning that you have something black on the back of your dress.” Of course I asked him “Why are you just now telling me?” He said: “I just kept forgetting to tell you.”

As I sat down on the edge of that truck seat, I looked behind me and I could see Allen’s nice, shiny, just-polished black shoes. At least now I knew what that something black was on the back of my new dress.

As we rode back to my uncle’s house, I started thinking about all of the people who had seen me at church that morning. I could just feel my face getting red with embarrassment the more I thought about walking from the truck to the church; from the sanctuary to the classroom; from the classroom back to the sanctuary; and finally from the sanctuary back to the truck and all that time I had black shoe polish on the back of my dress.

When we went into my uncle’s house, the boys all started asking our parents why they didn’t come to the preaching service. I thought this looked like the perfect opportunity for me to sneak by my Mama and go ahead and change clothes. So much for that thought; however, as she stopped me by saying: “Let me see how your new dress looks on you. I didn’t get a good look at it before you left this morning.” So of course Ole Eagle Eyes walked all the way around me as I held my breath wondering what she was going to say. I just knew I was going to get chewed out because I had messed up my brand spanking new Easter dress.

Instead she said: “Well, at least you made a good first impression because you look good on the front side. Maybe those cute little boys you saw at church didn’t look at you as you walked away.”

So folks, a good first impression is always important, but you might want to remember to also check your backside before you head out the door. That way you’ll be sure and know what others see – as you “Walk on By!!!”