Nursery Duty

Ministry Update

We are in the mountains of southwestern Pennsylvania this week in a very interesting meeting. After Sunday morning, most of the church members did not return because they did not like the fact that I raised my voice when I preach. There have been visitors, though, and I am thankful for that. I am grateful that we will be heading south very soon. It is cold here for October.

Family Update

Yes, it has been interesting… Because the youngest person other than our own children is in the eighth grade, there is usually no need for a nursery. I have been the nursery detail each evening as well as the pianist and soloist. There is a brief time during the special music where the children are totally unsupervised, and this is, as you might imagine, kept as brief as possible. Tonight, Abigail was feeling frisky, and between pirouettes on the front pew, she would turn around and stare at the visitors sitting behind her. Paul had his back to her as he played for my solo, so he was thankfully oblivious to her antics. My consternation, however, had no such luxury. Have you ever tried to sing sweetly while frowning at your child?

After the debacle was over, I came down with plans to leave the auditorium to feed Esther and give the visitors an intermission. As I turned to leave, Josiah whispered loudly that he needed to go to the bathroom – BAD! I rolled my eyes in disgust, and motioned for him to follow me as well. I have no idea what went through Paul’s mind as I trooped out the back door with our entire family in tow. I am sure it made a positive impression on everyone else, though. When the loud clumps and thumps of our departure had subsided, I began to breathe once again.

After Josiah had completed his mission, I sent him, with great trepidation, back upstairs into the service. I warned him to go back to his seat as quickly and quietly as possible. He is the most responsible of our children at present, so my plethora of nervous instructions seemed to make an impression on him.

After Esther was fed, I grabbed the car seat, and herded Abigail up the stairs and into the foyer where she assayed to go running down the aisle. I was spared this embarrassment by yanking her hair with the two free fingers on my left hand. She followed me to our new seat (behind everyone else) and began her antics once more, this time dropping a hymn book onto the floor with a loud bang. While Paul preached, Esther, who has recently discovered her own voice, began to talk to her sister. The cooing and smiling was the least of my worries at this point, so I just let it slide, since Paul was making plenty of noise (see above). Abigail got really excited that Esther was talking to her, and so I had to keep shushing her, because her voice carries much better than her younger sister’s. It was at this point that Josiah heard us, and turned around to smile his welcome to us. He then picked up the pew Bible and held it up as if to ask me if he was in the right place, having forgotten his own Bible at home. I guess my frantic gestures clued him in to the fact that he needed to put the Bible down. I gave him an encouraging smile as he turned around again.

It was at this juncture of the service that Abigail, carried away with excitement, fell off the pew and landed with a thump on the floor. I stared in horrified amazement at this new development, for I knew what was coming next. The great intake of air was my first clue. I hurriedly stuffed Esther in the car seat, and grabbed Abigail. I was halfway out of the auditorium before the first wail split the atmosphere. I rushed into the pastor’s office, and calmed her as quickly as possible. She was not really hurt, just surprised and scared. Esther, not to be outdone, began crying since she could no longer see anyone. I clumped back into the auditorium and plunked Abigail down and picked up Esther. Once again, peace reigned, and all was well with the world. Esther smiled contentedly, and Abigail sucked her thumb, while I wiped the sweat from my brow.

All too soon, or perhaps, not soon enough, came the invitation. I hauled the girls up to the front and set them beside Josiah. I told him to keep Esther quiet, and told Abigail to sit still. I sat at the piano, praying fervently that they would not make any more disturbances. Apparently, I was not “on praying ground” by this time. I heard a commotion and turned around just as Josiah loudly reprimanded Abigail for messing with Esther. My malevolent look put all to rights again, and the rest of the service was blessedly uneventful, at least, as far as our family was concerned.

This week has reminded me, once again, how thankful I am for nursery workers. Without the dedicated service of these ladies all over the country, in hundreds of churches, we would have these situations (and worse) more often. You are not unappreciated!

Sarah