The Lord Is Risen, 2012
Lent officially ends today and probably not a moment too soon. I woke up with a scratchy throat and was popping zinc lozenges all the way to Sunday School. John had prepared an elaborate lesson plan for the pre-schoolers which entailed an Easter egg hunt in the classroom. Each egg had a toy and little bit of the Crucifixion verse written on strips of paper inside. The children were supposed to deposit all the eggs in the rug in front of the makeshift altar and open them one at a time as they took turns going around a circle.
John had prepared over thirty eggs. We recovered about 25 of them as some of the children refused to let go of them or refused to participate in the circle. One fellow, a Hispanic boy, looked so dazed by the whole spectacle that I felt sorry for him and dragged a pint-sized chair over and sat next to him. I was able to learn his name and once or twice I caught him smiling at me as I tried to sing along with the other children during the songs.
John and Andrea did most of the work, however. How John, in particular, was able to keep track of all the props, keep the Passion narrative flowing and lead people in song, all without losing his cool, is beyond me. He has amazing powers of concentration.
I was glad when Hallie came upstairs to tell us that it was time to come back to the main service. As the last of the toddlers made ther way down the steps at the back of the church, John and I hung back a bit at the top of the stairs. He was going to go back to the classroom to straighten up The children had just made it in time for The Peace. John and I shook hands (I had just washed mine, so I was pretty sure I didn't pass any germs.)
As for my Lenten vows, I learned a valuable lesson: certain things are perhaps better worked on by not putting a lot of attention on them. After John and I shook hands, it just felt natural to follow it up with a hug. It felt good not to have to think about whether I was "objectifying" him by noticing the touch of his shoulder blades beneath the palm of my hand. I mean, I probably was - just a little. Fortunately, I don't think I will be condemned to Purgatory -- at least not for that.
After that, I kept toying with the idea of going home; I was tired and felt like I'd been on my feet all day (even though I hadn't been.) But, each time I made the attempt, there was someone I wanted to connect with. First, it was Mangagirl, who was so solicitous in asking me about Mom. Sean and Barry blew kisses from across the room at Coffee Hour. And, I had a very enjoyable talk with Ann Stribling's son who is graduating from law school in May. Much has changed since my Mom made similar introductions many Easters ago. The one constant is the search for a job and passing the bar exam. Ann's son is taking a review course from the very same attorney who got me through it twenty-six years ago.
John had prepared over thirty eggs. We recovered about 25 of them as some of the children refused to let go of them or refused to participate in the circle. One fellow, a Hispanic boy, looked so dazed by the whole spectacle that I felt sorry for him and dragged a pint-sized chair over and sat next to him. I was able to learn his name and once or twice I caught him smiling at me as I tried to sing along with the other children during the songs.
John and Andrea did most of the work, however. How John, in particular, was able to keep track of all the props, keep the Passion narrative flowing and lead people in song, all without losing his cool, is beyond me. He has amazing powers of concentration.
I was glad when Hallie came upstairs to tell us that it was time to come back to the main service. As the last of the toddlers made ther way down the steps at the back of the church, John and I hung back a bit at the top of the stairs. He was going to go back to the classroom to straighten up The children had just made it in time for The Peace. John and I shook hands (I had just washed mine, so I was pretty sure I didn't pass any germs.)
As for my Lenten vows, I learned a valuable lesson: certain things are perhaps better worked on by not putting a lot of attention on them. After John and I shook hands, it just felt natural to follow it up with a hug. It felt good not to have to think about whether I was "objectifying" him by noticing the touch of his shoulder blades beneath the palm of my hand. I mean, I probably was - just a little. Fortunately, I don't think I will be condemned to Purgatory -- at least not for that.
After that, I kept toying with the idea of going home; I was tired and felt like I'd been on my feet all day (even though I hadn't been.) But, each time I made the attempt, there was someone I wanted to connect with. First, it was Mangagirl, who was so solicitous in asking me about Mom. Sean and Barry blew kisses from across the room at Coffee Hour. And, I had a very enjoyable talk with Ann Stribling's son who is graduating from law school in May. Much has changed since my Mom made similar introductions many Easters ago. The one constant is the search for a job and passing the bar exam. Ann's son is taking a review course from the very same attorney who got me through it twenty-six years ago.