There was a time in my life that I didn't really care what time church started.
Then I had a baby.
At that time, church started at 1:00 pm. For the first few months (maybe it was only weeks?) it was great. We could sleep in, leisurely eat breakfast and get ourselves ready. At church, Thomas would sleep in our arms or the car seat. Life was good. Then he started not sleeping in our arms or the car seat. Life (at church, anyway) became very complicated. Seasoned parents all around is said, "Ohhhh...1:00 church is really hard on the little guys. 9:00 AM is SO much better!". I was excited to finally experience the wonderment of 9 AM church.
Then we moved.
And guess what?
Our new church started at 1:00 pm.
After another year of enduring a cranky, nap-deprived child at 1:00 church, it was finally our turn for the coveted 9 AM time slot.
And guess what?
I've had nearly a year of 9 AM church....and I still don't think it's any better. Granted, I now have a baby that takes morning naps and (obviously) cannot take her morning nap very well on Sunday. If it were just Thomas, we'd be spreading the good news about how wonderful 9 AM church is.
Truth be told, there probably never is a good time for church when you have a napping child. Church is always going to interfere with someone's nap, whether it's your child, or the child that is antagonizing your child in nursery because they are sleep-deprived. Somebody is going to get the short end of the stick. If you have a baby that no longer naps peacefully in your arms or in the car seat, you will probably spend a good deal of church pacing the hallways, so as to limit the amount of noise your fussy child will inflict upon other churchgoers.
When my mom was a young mom, she was once out in the foyer with my oldest brother (he was barely one year old) and my sister (she was a newborn) and a man asked her, "Why do even bother coming to church when you end up sitting out here for most of it?". This upset my mom so much, she vowed right then and there to never let any excuse keep her from attending church - even if it meant spending the majority of it out in the hall with her children.
I thought about this every Sunday when Thomas was a baby, as I walked the halls with him in my arms. I think about it now when I walk with Abigail.
Did I get to sit through an entire class at all today? Nope. But I did make it to the last 5 minutes of Sunday school. I might have missed the entire lesson, but I did deduce that the class had been discussing the Book of James. I left the class thinking, "Hmmm...I should really study James when I get home". I would have missed out on that inspiration if I had chosen to just stay home today.
After Sunday school, I ended up back in the hall again with Abby. I saw her point at a picture of Jesus on the wall and smile. Shortly after, we went to pick up Thomas from nursery and he came running to me with a picture in his hand
And said, "It's Jesus, Mommy!"This is why I go to church. Never mind that Kenta was sick today and I had the kids by myself and we had three epic cheerio spills all over the pew and aisle within the span of about 30 seconds. I was where I needed to be. And even though Kenta was sick, he was super helpful getting the kids ready...
...even if he didn't exactly know how a cardigan is supposed to be worn. And Thomas looked dapper, as usual, because his daddy always ties his ties with the utmost care: 
I thought we'd try and get a group shot, but things got out of hand
(don't know what's with the creepy baby cataracts...maybe my lens is dirty?)really quickly
Maybe next Sunday?
8 comments:
I feel your pain sister! We also moved from 1 pm church to 1pm church for the 2nd year in a row. Brutal. And now with the 9am slot we are dealing with the same missed morning nap for Cam. Luckily Taber has figured out a magic way to get him to sleep for a little bit during Sunday school, but still, a 30 minute cat nap doesn't quite cut it. He's still cranky pants during RS and I just end up trying to shove cheerios in his mouth and keep him quiet enough for people to hear the lesson. It's exhausting, but like you said, it's worth it for the exposure they get to church, the spirit, and the teachings of the gospel. It might not seem like they're picking up anything but they are. Thomas's little picture of "Jesus" is proof : )
Church is just hard with kids. Right now, with 4-year-old Dane and sleepy June, it hasn't been too bad, but I'm preparing myself for difficulty next year, even with 9:00 church. Our worst, though, was 11:00 church with choir practice at 9:30. Dane effectively missed two naps every Sunday that year; he was 4 months to 15 months old. Horrible.
P.S. I couldn't stop laughing at Kenta's helpfulness with Abby's outfit. Hilarious! Plus, I can totally see a Thomas resemblance in that picture.
You know, I think you make a good point. I really hate Sundays because they are SO tough and so trying, but the Lord has commanded us to go to church and so I will go, even if all I get out of it is those last 5 minutes in Sunday School!
P.S. Your kids are SO SO SO darn cute.
I kept scrolling back up to look at Abigail's cardigan under her dress and laughing my butt off. Reminds me of the girl I knew in college who, when her dad had to help get them ready for church on his own, would line up his girls and part each of their hair on the side, missionary-style. That image, too, makes me laugh my butt off.
i would like to see kenta dress abigail more often
smista
Umm... it's sunday... my hubby was gone for the weekend... our ward was at 9.... did I make it? NO. Feeling guilty now... yes a bit. Thanks Kendall! lol. I have one hour until the spanish ward- where my parents currently attend because of callings. Of course, we don't know spanish, lol... and the baby is asleep...if she wakes up, maybe we'll make it there.
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