#8 Attend Church

I agreed to post about my 30 before 30 experiences as they unfolded. {Woot!}

And, I got to cross #8 off the list last night!

It was Ash Wednesday. So we attended church.

I can honestly say it had been a while. Like the kind 'you can't remember' been a while.

We of course say our daily prayers and talk about Jesus at every opportunity as a family. But we haven't been to the actual building. The place where others go... to worship. And it was time for a change.

The very first post I did on this blog was titled 'You Have to Start Somewhere' and that is exactly what I was feeling like. What a perfect time to repent and get things back on track.

I was prepared to take the kids myself because the Hub usually plays basketball on Wednesday nights. But when he called at 6:17 last night to ask what I was doing... he felt compelled to go with us.

Which totally made me happy.

Partly because he could help wrangle at least one of the beasts during the service, but also because I didn't want to "look" like a single parent.

So we waited until he pulled up the driveway at 6:33 and we all rode together to St Michael's last night.

The service started at 7pm. It was pretty packed.

We were greeted with a couple familiar faces.

I didn't feel bad. Yet.

The kids were rather behaved during the service.

A couple outburts from Nolan included asking if I wanted him to draw me a paw print and a rectangle on the prayer request cards, asking for the string cheese I had packed, and what the fire on the altar (candles) was for. He enjoyed the flutes that were played. And Nevaly, loved the baby sitting behind us. She kept trying to share Nolan's red car with her. Very sweet. Innocent little minds.

The service included a message about how since birth we are very selfish beings. How after our first words mama or dada, comes the word 'mine'. And from then on we classify and quantify ourselves by how much stuff we "own".

And that God is very unselfish. He gave His only Son to die for us. On a wooden cross while people mocked and ridiculed him. Just so we could enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

And that's why I love Easter. Really. 

It is a much needed reminder of the sacrifice that was made for us. A new beginning. Just like Spring. 

So back to the service. Communion and the Placement of Ashes was last. It went pretty quickly considering how many people were there. I remember going to St Paul Lutheran Church as a child, where a good portion of the pews were full including the balcony. I dreaded communion services there. It took a good forty minutes to get through. Really? There are KIDS in here people. Babies who need to eat!

Just kidding.

But really.

Anyhow, Nolan told us he wanted to get "his ashes". Which just about brought me tears right there. How sweet, right?

Then when the time came, he refused them. Which is totally understandable. He has never even seen them before.

And the whole time we are at the altar receiving communion Nolan is asking me "what is going on".

{Insert part where I feel bad}

If we had been the good parents we were entrusted to be, he would know exactly what was going on because he would have been doing it for the last 3 years of his life. 

Instead he is dragging his feet as we are getting up to go back to our seat and crying "where are we going mom?" as loudly as possible. Poor kid.

I did feel terrible.

It is all the more reason to continue the pursuit of attending church again.

I think for reasons beyond learning about our faith.

It brings families together.

Makes children respectful and obedient.

It inspires goodness all around.

So just because I crossed it off my list, it doesn't mean the quest has been conquered like a lot of my other endeavers on the list.

Some of them will be a one time gig. Yes.

But some will be the rest of my lifetime type. Hopefully.

Like the Key West one, the kissing in the rain... the growing and eating my own food one.

So there you have it. #8 Attend Church. I done it.