Sitting Through Church

For the last month and a half I've been trying out something new for some of our Sunday evening services at church. The kids and I usually would visit a minute and march up to the nursery. In the nursery we'd either have a short devotion, learn a Bible verse, or play whle I tried to listen to the service over a baby monitor (wheich gets harder and harder the older the kids get)!!

But I really felt like I was distant from the church members and the fellowship by spending soo many services in the nursery. And I do have a couple of sweet families who regularly volunteer to take the kids to the nursery, but I always feel bad that they're up there with only MY kids.


Let me totally honest, the kids and I have had some good services and plenty of not-so-good services as we've had to learn what is expected of them during service. I wish I'd set aside time during the week to have them sit for 20 minutes in the church pews when the church was empty. But I didn't...

We've learned through trial and error! And we've learned how to do it all together. I would have preferred to bring one child into service at a time.... ahahhaa... but we just expained to them that they'd stay in service with Mommy and that they could play quietly during service with the items in our "church bag"!!

Sure, there have been plenty of times when I've had to take them outside or up to the nursery..... but they've reallybeen adjusting well.


Since they had been doing so well, I decided yesterday to take them into morning service for the first half..... hmmmm, NOT a good idea. With all the excitement during the weekend and then not giving them much warning, I was just waiting for the hymn time so I could sneak out with all three kids.....

But before I could get out, it was time for my husband - the pastor to introduce his topic and the Bible passage they were going to study during the service. As the kids wiggled and fussed he said, "And this morning we have a Message for Christian Families... [looking down at me with the kids] even loud ones." Thanks sweetie!!

Anyway, even though our morning service was completely chaotic, I decided to continue the torture- oppps, I meant training - during the evening service. I did change some of the activities in the bag (which always helps the situation) and Anna decided to sit with another couple, but the kids were excellent. I barely had to correct them or even speak to them. Brian even said a couple of times that he forgot they were in the service. I was even able to open a Bible (lydia was using mine) and follow along with the study.....

** Sorry about the awkwardness of the picture of Lydia. I was trying to be discreet during service!!