I know we have all read those post about church and kids. They writer telling you its ok that they are noisy and bringing your children is what we are suppose to do.
I will not argue you the point that we are SUPPOSE to bring our children to church. As parents its our duty to bring them up in the Lord and bring them up showing them that church is not an option.
BUT…. what most do not say is this..
We are all told, your children in church are not disturbing anyone. Let them be children. Even had a preacher once write a letter to the parents of the congregation to say that all those little chatter boxes did not disturb his peaching.. how encouraging to know my 17 month old beating the back of the pew he could not hear.. Good to know that same child who was trying to stab her brother with a pencil did not disturb him. Good to know that the same child was all over the floor all over me all over… well.. everything.
Its the same routine every Sunday morning. Race against the clock every second of that morning to get there on time. It is like Sunday mornings the world almost comes to an end.
The person who wrote the song “Easy like a Sunday Morning” did not have 3 children to get to Sunday school on time.
Your there on time maybe a little late. Your hair may not be perfect your clothes may be a little sideways from the running dace you did but you are there. You beat the devil once again and you brought your little family to Gods house!
Now here it is “big church” time. A time of opening your Bible and reflecting on Gods truths and words to us.
Nope.. actually your opening candy.. finding the lost pacifier…keeping the little one off the stranger next to you… battling the other for a marker so they don’t mark the new chair up.. telling the other stop don’t do that.
And the next thing you know your in the nursery… again.. different Sunday same song.. I have set in there at times and wondered why am I even here. I could be home with our toys. I do this everyday anyways. We could have just stayed home.
That’s me right now.. I am in those moments.. I go to church to go to nursery. Today I was there really hard. Today the devil worked on me before my eyes even opened.
But today I realized something different though… This time of my life is not for me. Jesus knows that even though I am not in “big church” I am present. He gave me three little humans he knows that times will not always be easy.
Church is not easy with kids mom.. You feel like you race that race every Sunday morning for a seat in the nursery.. Not to hear Gods word but to play with your child just like at home.
Know that even in that nursery chair you are doing more for your children then you know. Remember those Sunday mornings when the home is chaos and you know you are going to “just be in the nursery” that your day is coming to be in church again.
And when that day comes, look down that pew seat and see those children you brought are still coming with, and know it is because you did not give in when times were not as easy.
When you look down that church pew and see those blessings sitting there remember that mom in the back who is struggling with not wanting to come to just “be in the nursery”. Encourage her that her time is coming. Remind her that even though she’s “just in the nursery” she is following Gods command as a mom. Remind her that you know its hard but its also going to get easier.
Most of all remember Mom that asking for help is ok to.
I have been in your shoes for many years and now I am able to see the fruit of the labor. There were many times I sat through a whole service not able to hear a word the pastor said! It is hard and sometimes lonely but God will bless our efforts and strengthen us if our eyes are set on Him.