A Typical Sunday...

As I have stated before, I am a pastor. It's a nice appointment; a small country church where I know EVERYONE'S name (for me that's a big one), good country people, and I only have one service to preach in. Some have 3-4 services in one weekend, so I know to count my blessings. And it warms my heart each Sunday to look to my left and see on the 2nd pew my lovely wife and 2 year old son sitting on the pew for church.

As the service begins my son stares at me with those amazing brown eyes with a smile that I cannot help but return. The hymns are going great as my wife sits with my son and reads to him the hymns out of the church hymnal. Sometimes he's into it, other times he is a little disinterested. It's usually a cool thing.

Then around 15 minutes have passed, and the squirminess begins. He's wanting to get out of the pew and his noise level is rising. So out comes solution #1, Cheerios! Never fails! Sometimes my wife also has goldfish or oyster crackers mixed in. Now as I look at my adorable son, his cheeks are bloated as he has used every square inch of his mouth to maximize the number of Cheerios he can fit into one mouth-full. As the Cheerio solution ends as his supply dwindles, there are more songs, and he calms down. Then comes passing of the peace, where everyone shakes hands, gives hugs, the 7th inning stretch of a regular church service. After that...well...see above.

I'm usually in the middle of my sermon, and my son has lost all patience. Hymnals are falling, juice cups are flying, toys are scattered, and he's threatening to pull his arm out of his socket as my wife holds on for dear life. Then he gets loud and cries. My concentration is out the window. An awkward silence fills the sanctuary. Thus my wife collects our son, Cheerio container, fallen cup, etc, and the two leave the church less happy than when they came. Once upon a time when he was a year younger he would sit through church without making a peep. Now, the "terrific" twos are the norm. Granted he is very easy most days, but church has become something of a challenge lately. Will this trend continue? How much longer till he chills out? Or are there better solutions? Sure, a nursery or children's church thing would be nice, but we lack these luxuries here. Add your insights and have a great Sunday!