dar334

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”

The message from the gospel this morning was Mark 10:2-16.  The subject matter was on marriage and divorce, and Jesus blessing the children.  As I sat there sporting my new headband with Unicorn ears and a single horn in the middle, I was momentarily distracted a few times by the little Angel sitting in front of me sporting her headband with kitty ears.  She has two headbands that I know of with kitty ears and a couple weeks ago I asked her if I could try her headband on.  She politely but firmly told me “no”.  That’s what led to the purchase of my own headband to wear to church knowing that little Angel would sit in front of me.  My intention was to give her my new headband as soon as she noticed it and the fact that she had gotten upset with her momma, then left the chapel with her momma for a few minutes, and upon their return she sat quietly in the pew in front of me looking straight ahead, caused my sporting of the headband with Unicorn ears and single horn to go on longer than I intended.  The announcements were made, the opening hymn was sung, the Lay Servant read the Witness of the Word, there was Special Music, and the Children’s Message, all with this 62 year old woman without dementia to wear a headband with Unicorn ears with a single horn in the middle through it all. When the little Angel finally noticed my headband, the amusement in her eyes was well worth the embarrassment I “should” have felt. (At this point I have to ask you to say a prayer for our Pastor because this wasn’t the first time, nor will it be the last, that this type of shenanigans goes on from a select couple of pews.) Now that she had noticed, I promptly took my new headband with the Unicorn ears and single horn off and handed it to the Angel and she promptly took her headband with kitty ears off and gave it to me. Now this is where the story should have ended, but it didn’t. I had discreetly put her headband with the kitty ears back beside her and as soon as she noticed it she gave it back to me ….. and I had to wear it. She was making sure she got to keep the headband with Unicorn ears and a single horn in the middle.

Although it’s easy to be distracted by an Angel, the message about Jesus loving the children also caused my mind to wander away a few times. We need to learn to tolerate the children during service because their parents are forming a habit of sort. Even though they may not fully understand the words they hear, the rituals, and reasons for communion, by allowing them to participate their parents are making these things familiar to them, they won’t be afraid or uncertain when they do get to the age of understanding. I highly doubt it upsets God to have them there. We guide and steer them from the very beginning in the ways they should go, and most things in life aren’t understandable until they reach that point in maturity to comprehend them. I applaud the parents that introduce worship to their little ones and allow them to participate in the rituals. The reason for doing so will come in due time. If I had it to do all over, I would have started my journey long ago. Although perhaps it wasn’t meant to happen earlier, I have to trust God’s timing.

In closing I have a suggestion to offer. Perhaps Pastor should say “chocolate” at random times during his service to regain our attention.

-dar