Churching
Can I confess yesterday was my 4-year-old daughter's first-ever church service? The formal Christian education has been delayed mainly because we were reluctant to deal with squirmy girl in a church pew. Poor excuse, but true. Oh, the guilt.
A few weeks ago we drove past a megachurch and Maria yelled: "Look, a castle!'' Not good for a girl who is growing up in the Buckle of the Bible Belt. She's had a lot of questions about God lately. We talk a lot about God living in our hearts, so the time feels right to find a church home and teach her that Cinderella does not, in fact, live in that building.
We visited a small church in our little town. Everyone was friendly, the pastor relevant, thought-provoking and funny. He even relayed a story that reminded me of Maria, and something she would say.
It went something like this:
The doctor looked in the 4-year-old girl's ear. "Am I going to find Big Bird in there?''
No.
The doctor looked in the girl's mouth. "Am I going to find Cookie Monster in there?''
No.
The doctor went to listen to the girl's heart. "Am I going to hear Barney in there?''
"No," she said. "Jesus is in my heart. Barney is on my underpants.''
A few weeks ago we drove past a megachurch and Maria yelled: "Look, a castle!'' Not good for a girl who is growing up in the Buckle of the Bible Belt. She's had a lot of questions about God lately. We talk a lot about God living in our hearts, so the time feels right to find a church home and teach her that Cinderella does not, in fact, live in that building.
We visited a small church in our little town. Everyone was friendly, the pastor relevant, thought-provoking and funny. He even relayed a story that reminded me of Maria, and something she would say.
It went something like this:
The doctor looked in the 4-year-old girl's ear. "Am I going to find Big Bird in there?''
No.
The doctor looked in the girl's mouth. "Am I going to find Cookie Monster in there?''
No.
The doctor went to listen to the girl's heart. "Am I going to hear Barney in there?''
"No," she said. "Jesus is in my heart. Barney is on my underpants.''
we have the same issue with our 2-year-old – she’s a wonderful handful and i thought that would be a bit much for a new church family to have to bear with us. i’ve already promised my hubby we’ll start going this year (we’re moving soon, so we’ll wait until after).
i don’t want my daughter reminding me of that episode of malcolm in the middle where dewey and hal are in a church classroom and dewey says, “why is there a ‘t’ on the wall?”
Oh my – can so relate! My son did his first communion last year, and he did two years of classes, hence two years of church. I am embarassed to say we have not been back – gulp, so bad. Give yourself a break (gosh knows I do – but my mother thinks different). Hope you are well!
hey, maya, where are you in tn?
jpd: my father often says: “a church on every corner and you can’t find one?” we did for a while before m was born, when we lived in another town. but when we moved, i went to “the church of the big tree” — right in my own woods. lovely! but the kid needs a formal teachin’
hey – i’m in knoxville. but we’ll be moving (fingers crossed) if my husband gets the promotion he’s after – either to charlotte or nashville.