Chris is sometimes around...sometimes not. If work is busy, he typically works Sunday mornings and meets us at church. If it is hunting season, he's in the woods.
Once I am dressed, I have to get the boys ready. The arguments begin...'I don't want to wear a belt' or 'I don't like this shirt' and on and on. I remind them that Sunday is my day...I get to pick out their clothes on this day. "You can change as soon as we get home," I remind them.
By the time I get in the car, my mood is already spoiled. We are running late. I have to drop two off at the nursery...sometimes there are tears. I have to hurry upstairs to prepare the atrium. Philip and Daniel sometimes help me with this task...quietly wetting sponges and filling vases with water. Sometimes they run up and down the hall...dodging choir members and lay Eucharistic ministers...playing Star Wars. The tension is mounting...
Then it is on to CGS. The mood is quiet, reflective in the atrium. My boys always settle down in there...do their work as they are supposed to do. But there are others....some children need constant reminding of how we act. One little girl loves to escape when no one is looking and hide in the boys' bathroom. More tension...
CGS is over. Time to hurriedly clean up the atrium before church starts. I'm busy...more running in the halls for Philip and Daniel. It's okay, I think, they need to let off some steam...because now we are off to church. Chris is there...but 11 out of 10 Sundays he's ushering...thus leaving me in the pew with two wiggly little boys for the first part....four wiggly little boys after the peace.
Trinity is one of the few churches that I know of that does not have a break for children. My two older boys sit through the entire service. To be honest, they do it pretty well, but it is hard. Hard for them...hard for me. They color for a little bit and then argue over who gets to sit in my lap during the sermon. They repeatedly ask when is it going to be over. It is hard work. I constantly wonder how my parents did it with five! I rarely get anything out of the service.
Except this week. As most of you know, we are without a rector. Father Matthew left last fall and we do not even have an iterim this time. Sometimes Father Powers officiates...other times it is a random supply priest. This week...random supply priest. He said what I needed to hear.
The Gospel reading was that of Jesus' baptism. He spoke of the moment when Jesus was baptized and God proclaimed, "This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased." The priest...sorry don't remember his name!...then told us that after Jesus' baptism, he went into the wilderness for 40 days and was tempted by the devil. It was God's proclamation, he surmised, that allowed Jesus to withstand temptation.
Before the priest could connect the dots, I got it. Oh how important it is for my little boys to receive that unconditional love from me. How important it is that they know not only that I love them, but I am pleased with them. Just how they are. Wiggles and all. They need to know it now and definitely later when the temptations arise. If they know it and feel it from their parents, they will be able to know it and feel it from Him.
I leave uplifted...thankful for these words that have clicked for me. Once out the door, I can relax. Now what I love about Sundays can begin.
Now there are long naps for some. For me, today, I put John in bed. Philip and Chris go participate in a Fun Run downtown. I crawl in bed with William and Daniel. We read some Curious George and then all three fall asleep. I love this about Sunday's.
I usually get in the kitchen and cook...a full dinner sometimes...tonight just sides for a family dinner at Dottie's. I can cook without dodging little people. Chris entertains them...I lose myself in the kitchen. I love this about Sunday's.
Then there's family time. Sundays have always been about family time in my life. Read more here. Tonight, it is an Epiphany feast at Dottie's house. Dottie leaves no detail undone.
There's a nativity set for the boys...complete with the three wise men.
We drew names for the 'boy Bishop'...Daniel wins...but thankfully we all get crowns...
We read a story about the wise men's visit...
Then we had a wonderful meal...complete with King Cake for dessert. William's piece contained the bean, so he will reign next year as the Bishop! Can't resist posting this picture...sorry, Chris!
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