Day Twenty Two

Do you know what day it is? I’m in that holiday fog where my boys are off from school, Christmas happened, and New Year’s but we still aren’t back to normal and I had cookies for lunch and dinner was leftover Gouda pimento cheese spread with pretzels and champagne. It has to end soon right?

Before it does, thought, I have a few more days to share. And by share, I may mean cram in like dessert after you are already too full from your Christmas dinner. I hope not, but I wouldn’t be surprised.

So, where are we? Today is Sunday, a week ago Kat and I were back to our normal routine with the littles. We missed only one Sunday morning, (the day after the party), and then we saw them Christmas Eve, but not for our usual Wednesday night routine.  You would think, what is one missed Sunday right? Oh no, it was like we had been gone a year. Half of our class was so happy to see us and ran and hugged us and told us they thought we were never coming back. The other half had no recollection of who we were or anything that had ever transpired in class previously. I mean, didn’t remember anyone’s names, couldn’t remember not to run in class, thought throwing blocks was allowed, didn’t know where the bathroom was, and refused to do crafts. Honestly the littles were looking at me like “Mister Judson, pull yourself together man, or Mrs Kathleen is going to put you in time out.”

The week we missed was the 4th Sunday of advent, or Love Sunday. I had left the banner pre-cut, with letters and angels and purple paint. It sort of happened. The letters and angels got glued to the banner. But the painting didn’t happen. I know with a children’s sermon in church, it’s hard to get everything done. I asked if I should hang the banner, and one little said, ‘it’s not finished yet’ and one of the older littles reminded me that ‘advent is purple, that one is just blue and white on green, we need the purple’. So yeah, someone has been paying attention.

It was a rowdy group, had I mentioned that? Such a rowdy group, and trying to get them back in routine was rough. When Kathleen finally got them to settle in for the lesson, she reviewed the previous weeks, as we do, talking about the events leading up to Christmas and repeating the “bible points”. No one was paying attention, no one could remember a single lesson in the last 3 weeks. Even when Kathleen showed them the poster of the nativity one of the littles pointed at Mary holding baby Jesus and asked “who is that?”.

I thought, any minute now I’m pulling the plug and we’ll just have snack and let them play, because this is too much. I’m pretty sure Kat was in agreement, but then one of the littles sitting next to Kat said, “oh Jesus Is the way.” Kat looked at her and said, inelegantly, “huh?” 

“Jesus is the way to God”

It took a beat, but Kathleen rallied. “That is right! Jesus is the way to God is our bible point. Good Job!”

What is the point? That moment right there is the point. Why do we put up with rowdy littles with sticky hands and runny noses week after week? Because of moments like that, where you get to see that despite all the chaos in that room, they are paying attention. 

I mean, I am in it for the glamor  the cookies, but Kathleen does it for little moments like that. 

Do me a favor? Celebrate the reasons you participate, (or opt out*) of church?

*because that is a valid option, and a rabbit hole I won’t be going down in this venue.

Day Twenty One

Happy new year! 

It’s the 7th day of Christmas, or something like that. At least according to the history that says the 12 days of Christmas start on the 25th and go through January 6th which is 3 kings day or epiphany.  So I’ve still got a few more days of Christmas to wrap this year up.  Good thing too, as I’m still shy of 25. 

A few days ago was New Year’s Eve, and incidentally, it was the birthday of Kortney Konrath Mcquade. I’ve known Kortney since the early 2000’s. She was Najah Hylton’s high school friend and she used to tag along to Christmas parties. It was also, in an unrelated turn of events, Courtney Thompson’s birthday. I have known Courtney since 2014 or 2015, she is Emily Thompson’s close friend and she tagged along to a dinner out with Jodi Thompson and Emily.

All of this long explanation to say, both are lovely young women, who share a birthday. Kortney Mcquade has known my boys since they were littles. I’ve had the opportunity to witness her growing up, graduating HS and college, getting married, to a nice man she brought around for us to meet and approve of before hand (my single nieces and nephews should take note here), and start a family. Her two boys are adorable. Courtney Thompson is considerably younger, and my boys mostly remember meeting her after a performance of the nutcracker when she and Emily were with OKC Ballet. She is a beautiful young woman.

Now, as many people we know and love often are, both women were invited to our Christmas party. Mrs. Mcquade did not attend, (but I forgive her), and Miss Thompson did. As expected, she looked stunning. I mean, like stunning.

But, don’t just take my word for it. The aforementioned gang of high school boys that are always in and around my house also noticed and were impressed by the beauty of the lovely Miss Thompson. When pressed for information about who she was, my Matthew told all of his buddies that, while yes, she was beautiful, but she was a little older than she looked, she was married, and already had a baby.  

Now, the Christmas mystery here is this... did my Matthew say this because he momentarily confused the two young ladies with similar names, (one of whom he’s known all his life), or did he say this to discourage any of his buddies from approaching the lovely Miss Thompson? I mean, Matthew is single...

It is truly a Christmas mystery!

Do me a favor? I was going to say something about shooting your shot or not being a shot blocker, but honestly? Pray for my Matthew’s parents. It’s a struggle.