We don't make it to church every week – but we try and get there twice a month at least. We started going when Charlotte was about a year old. Something about finding some spiritual guidance for our family. And the congregation, small as it is, just completely welcomed us in and made us part of the place. St. Matthews United. It's a remarkable place. Not enough people in the pews to keep the lights on but doing much for the community all the same. There is a drop in program, that includes lunch, for anyone who wants it and it runs three times a week. And, in the winter, the Out Of The Cold program runs there once a week. And there are a number of other community minded things happening in the building. Anyway, some Sundays we go for the sermon and some Sundays we go for the 45mins of free child care that grants us a few moments of head space – regardless, we always walk out feeling thankful for having been.
Anyway, this past Sunday it was our turn to host the coffee hour after the service. Not so much our turn I suppose as we signed up. Our local city councilor was giving the “sermon” and I wanted to hear him and I figured that volunteering for this responsibility would be a good way to ensure that I actually got there.
So I baked a few banana breads and some date loaf, got the leftover juice and cookies from Arden's baptism, loaded up the wagon and Charlotte, ruby and I were off. Part of hosting the coffee hour is setting up and this picture was taken during the set up time. I had a number of things to do that were completely not at all child friendly tasks. Boiling water, for example. But I knew that I needed to get my two on to something that would occupy them quick or else they'd just run around the parlor until the service started and then they'd be so wound up they'd be unpleasant companions in church. Banana bread isnt really an attractive looking baked good to begin with. And for the record, neither is date loaf. So, having already given up on presentation, I thought I'd let them plate this for me while I made the coffee, which, incidentally, is something that I have no idea how to do and thus it took my full concentration. I know that I have heard this expressed often enough in teaching and I know I've employed this tactic with my own students – but give them a job that matters and they will take it seriously. They were completely thorough and diligent in getting this job done. They didn't break too many pieces, they stayed focused, and they were neat. And I guess it just reminded me how capable they are when we have the willingness to trust them. I went to a parenting seminar at the nursery school (which happens to be in the church basement) and while I don't remember a whole lot of the material, one of the things that has really stuck with me since is the mantra the instructor kept using: children will if they can and their intentions are good.
Once they finished with the banana bread, I moved them on to putting out the coffee cups. Ruby must have
Are 20 trips from the kitchen out to the coffee table. Two mugs at a time until the job was done. And she had fun doing it and was happy with herself when the job was done. I guess I just wonder why they Are so willing to commit to these tasks when there is so much that I have to do battle with them on on a daily basis. Why are the coffee cups so much more appealing then picking up books from the floor of the bedroom? Is it he opportunity to do something for someone else that they like? Do they derive a sense of importance from having helped out the church? What is it that makes them want to be involved and go to the effort to follow through on task completion? It's a bit mysterious to me. But I can't deny that it works! They got all the jobs done and helped with the clean up after coffee hour was over. For whatever reason, they were fully invested.
I can't wait to take them to the strawberry-rhubarb pie making this Saturday. They are going to love it!
3 Ginger Snaps 