PEACE ON EARTH
Our church service this morning was about peace...peace with your life, peace with the world around you, and peace with God. The sermon really spoke to me, even while part of my attention was focused on quietly trying to occupy a four and five year old.
(A sidenote- church has been a little less enjoyable for me in the past couple of months. When Drew has been with us, I've had to leave the service almost every time to nurse him, change him, or soothe him. Our church has a great nursery, but I'm not ready to have him around lots of other children if I can avoid it. Luke really enjoys the nursery, but since he turned four, he is no longer able to play there and is expected to sit through the regular service. The highlight of the service for Gracie and Luke is the portion called "Praise Kids" where they are led out of the sanctuary for a musical children's time while the adults listen to the sermon. Unfortunately, on some Sundays there is no "Praise Kids' and this Sunday just happened to be one. It makes for a kind of long hour for everyone.)
So..I'm sitting at church with Gracie and Luke while Ben is at home with Drew. The message is about peace and I am feeling very calm and content. Gracie is sitting perfectly and has been an angel throughout the entire service. Luke is starting to get a little restless, but is still being unbelievably well behaved. The service ends with one of my favorite songs, "Let There Be Peace on Earth" and the message to leave in peace. I walk out of the sanctuary feeling great.
We step into the outer area to put our coats on and Gracie smiles at me. Luke is holding my hand and asks, "Where are we going?" I answer that church is over and we are headed home to Daddy and baby Drew.
And then my feelings of peace begin to dissipate.
Out of nowhere, Luke has an immediate and major meltdown- big tears and loud sobs. Evidently he was waiting and waiting for Praise Kids to begin and it never did and he was ticked.
I gave him a hug and explained that because we had Communion during the service, there wasn't Praise Kids this week. I sympathized with him. I complimented him on his good behavior during the service. I tried to distract him by pointing out a huge Christmas tree. I tried to distract him by asking him what he wanted to play when we got home. I tried everything I could think of to diffuse the situation as we walked to our van and headed home, but nothing worked. He was pissed off and he wanted me to know it and he wanted me to know it for the entire drive to our house.
By the time we got home, I wasn't feeling quite so at peace with the world anymore. ;(
(A sidenote- church has been a little less enjoyable for me in the past couple of months. When Drew has been with us, I've had to leave the service almost every time to nurse him, change him, or soothe him. Our church has a great nursery, but I'm not ready to have him around lots of other children if I can avoid it. Luke really enjoys the nursery, but since he turned four, he is no longer able to play there and is expected to sit through the regular service. The highlight of the service for Gracie and Luke is the portion called "Praise Kids" where they are led out of the sanctuary for a musical children's time while the adults listen to the sermon. Unfortunately, on some Sundays there is no "Praise Kids' and this Sunday just happened to be one. It makes for a kind of long hour for everyone.)
So..I'm sitting at church with Gracie and Luke while Ben is at home with Drew. The message is about peace and I am feeling very calm and content. Gracie is sitting perfectly and has been an angel throughout the entire service. Luke is starting to get a little restless, but is still being unbelievably well behaved. The service ends with one of my favorite songs, "Let There Be Peace on Earth" and the message to leave in peace. I walk out of the sanctuary feeling great.
We step into the outer area to put our coats on and Gracie smiles at me. Luke is holding my hand and asks, "Where are we going?" I answer that church is over and we are headed home to Daddy and baby Drew.
And then my feelings of peace begin to dissipate.
Out of nowhere, Luke has an immediate and major meltdown- big tears and loud sobs. Evidently he was waiting and waiting for Praise Kids to begin and it never did and he was ticked.
I gave him a hug and explained that because we had Communion during the service, there wasn't Praise Kids this week. I sympathized with him. I complimented him on his good behavior during the service. I tried to distract him by pointing out a huge Christmas tree. I tried to distract him by asking him what he wanted to play when we got home. I tried everything I could think of to diffuse the situation as we walked to our van and headed home, but nothing worked. He was pissed off and he wanted me to know it and he wanted me to know it for the entire drive to our house.
By the time we got home, I wasn't feeling quite so at peace with the world anymore. ;(
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