Sunday mornings have potential for me…the potential to be really good – or really, really bad. Usually, they are a bit of both.
Sunday morning is important to me. I grew up in a very strict, traditional Catholic home. I look forward to a little recharging of my batteries at church on Sunday morning. However, since I am the mother of three young children, somehow the strength and uplifting I am hoping for doesn’t always happen due to a certain level of distraction and/or chaos.
Today, our priest was giving a good sermon, with the basic message being that our mistakes (even our biggest ones) do not define us. He was speaking of God’s mercy and how God will continually reach out His hand and give us another chance. I was feeling a bit down this past week and the sermon was really making me feel better. The kids were being really good. I was focused – I was actually able to pay attention and feel some of the weight of my world lifting off my shoulders. It was nice.
It couldn’t last forever.
I wanted to hang on to that feeling for as long as possible. So when I heard the sound of two bowling balls hitting each other right next to me, I really wanted to ignore it. But since it was actually Nicholas and Rachel knocking heads (not bowling balls), I was forced to jump into action before there was drama and loud, wailing tears. I was furiously rubbing their heads and giving quick mommy kisses (which we know, heals all boo boos). Thankfully, a crisis was averted. However, this was definitely the beginning of the end of my lighthearted, focused time in church. I won't bore you with all the details, but suffice it to say, by the time I was back in the car to head home, I wasn't really feeling "refreshed" much at all.
Someone please keep reminding me that there will come a day all too soon when I will miss all the chaos. Right??? Won't I???
For now -- thank goodness for things that remind me that there is always hope. And that without struggles, we wouldn't be able to enjoy all the good stuff. You can't have a rainbow without the rain, right?
(Oh -- and THANK GOODNESS for margaritas. hee hee....)
Hope you had a great weekend!
6 comments:
I love the picture. I think I saw the same rainbow driving home from Pigeon Forge in Saturday evening.
I always have those moments at church, like the preacher is talking to me, and only me. It starts off the week right.
sending a "ritta" .... Enjoy and add a bubble bath with it. Wink!
Someday they will do something that proves that they were listening right through those head bonks...I never thought of the rubbing the head trick. I will have to remember that one if I ever have little kids at church again...I usually just pick them up while simutaneoulsy covering their mouth, while I run out of ear shot.
See, you are such an amazing mom!
Aww Rita, such tough days mixed in with the joy. No one said raising kids was easy. What makes you such a great mom is when you react normally to them acting out you feel bad about it. Believe me, when they're grown you'll wish you could have those days when they were little again, I know!
Girl - I've only had the strength to make it to church twice since Erin was born. I have no focus but my kids when I'm at church and it all seems to get lost :(
So kudos to you for being there and actually being able to get something out of it!
I think there will definitely come a time when we miss the chaos. Hard to believe when we are in the moment though :0)
Its a beautiful post... hope you get a chance to unwind this coming weekend...
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