Sunday Humanity- Some Random Thoughts

I am lucky. A very, very lucky girl.

It sometimes comes to me in unexpected moments. I was asked to please substitute serve at church today, and since my children were with their father I said I would. You see, we are a small congregation, and when I have my children I cannot serve- because we have no nursery. My church has grown smaller and smaller in congregation size over the years. And sometimes I get really frustrated, most especially when my mother says to me “you are the youth/the church looks to you/you do something”. Honestly it actually really makes me mad. I don’t like that pressure. And I resent it. So there are times in which I say- I’ll go elsewhere, less pressure, less expectation to lead.

But I never do.

There are Sundays like today, in which something small happens- something small and yet so large. There is a couple in my church which is in the process of adopting a child from DFACS. Seeing this child with them today made me miss mine terribly, something that I do not talk about here. I don’t like to talk too much about that type of thing publicly. There’s a fine line between putting ones personal life too much in the public eye. But that’s not really what this is about….

This three year old, Tyler, reminds me of my own son- Bishop. That sweet smile that little boys have for their mother. I don’t know Tyler’s backstory, just that he has been in the care of DFACS and is now in the process of a permanent home. I know his great-grandfather was in church with this family, and they plan to stay in touch. It’s lovely. More than lovely.

Our church is Episcopalian, sometimes called Catholic “light”, and we have a high church service. Little Tyler would join his mother at the altar, as she and myself assisted during Communion. It’s one of the most reverent parts of the service, as we talk about how Christ died for us. As we prepare to take Him In. So reverent, and yet this little child was making faces and smiling at me. I could not help but to smile back. And I thought- how like Christ this is: such joy in the small things, and yet so big. Joy and happiness.

How many priests would be ok with a three year old joining in during the Communion service? Maybe there are some- I can’t imagine many. Our is. Our church, small and struggling for membership, did not look down on this child “on the wrong side of the rail”. We even smiled as he rang the bell. Even at the beginning of the service, before the procession, Tyler and another small child- Jack- “helped” ring the bell to start the service. The wonder on their faces- indescribable.

How amazing and what a blessing it is- to witness the wonder and pure love of the world that children have. They must be the closest to God.

Mercy Ships-

I’m watching 60 Minutes, and there is this amazing program on about American doctors who are in Africa doing amazing medical procedures. Amazing things that we take for granted here. These doctors and nurses are there, paying their own way, even raising their families abroad this ship. Doing procedures as simple as cataracts, allowing the blind to see. They are literally doing God’s own work. How blessed they are!

Humanity comes to us sometimes in random times, the simplicity of being kind to others. This past year has been terribly hard for me- but I would not trade it for anything. I have learned to be a kinder person, more accepting of others, and better at weeding poison out of my life. I am incredibly blessed. For everything hard that has happened, it has made it easier for me to accept Christ in my heart.

Love to all yall,

Molly