a child in church

I remember Daniel at age 4 years running up one isle and down another during the sermon at church. I was frantically trying to stop him without disrupting the pastor. Daniel, of course was enjoying me chasing after him. What some might have termed, "little boys will be little boys" was nothing more than a nightmare and total embarrassment for me. I learned a couple of things at this point:
1) I did not have a handle on my child, and
2) not one other adult stepped in to help.
The idea of someone not helping me used to make me angry, but through the years, I have mellowed on this passionate thought. Perhaps, it would have made it worse should anyone try to stop Daniel when he did not know him or her. We will never know.
Looking back on raising my children, I could become very critical of myself if I were to focus on the many times when I did not have a ‘handle’ on them. So I’m not going to. Besides anyone who knows me will make their own judgments of my parenting skills.
What I did learn from this scenario is that when a young mother needs help in church, or anywhere in public, we as a society should step in and at least offer. Many women are raising children without the father, whether there is no father available or the father is perhaps in the military, or working out of town to support his family.
Sunday, I had the opportunity to meet a young mother with three small boys at church. She and her husband had just moved here from California and her husband was working in Arizona for a time with his business. Her boys were 5 years old, 18 months old, and 2 months old. This is important because, two were in diapers, and all three had to be buckled in car seats in order to just leave their home (I probably would just stay home).
This young woman was small in frame and when she walked into our church, she was packing two of the boys, while keeping track of a very mature 5 year old.
It was very different in our church than the many years ago with Daniel. Many members made it a point to meet this woman and pray for her, and her little boys, and for her husband. The two oldest had a great time in the nursery, so the little mother could focus well on services. It was an incredible day and my heart remembered my own children and now my grandchildren. It’s funny how turning our focus on someone else can give us joy. It was a great Sunday.
Please know that I am not critisizing the members in that service so long ago.

Oh,,,,,, and I am no longer running down the isles for Daniel. All said and done, even with our trials, Daniel is a wonderful young man.