abortion, race and the deceit of intentions

I ran across this article from 2006 that sheds a lot of light on our human “intentions” to do good.  We delude ourselves with claims for good intentions, even when evil results from them.  

In this story, the Dutch PM got his nose out of joint after a high European official likened the Dutch policy of killing ill or disabled babies to Nazi practices.  It was a true observation.  Of course, the Dutch PM wasn’t embarrassed by the killing of the babies, only of being compared to a Nazi.  Sad.

Here’s what the author,Wesley J. Smith says,

But they [Dutch officials] claim that the Netherlands’ infant euthanasia program is substantially different: Dutch doctors are motivated by compassion whereas the Germans’ were motivated by the bigotry of racial hygiene. Of course it is the act of killing disabled and dying babies that is wrong, not the motivation.

I can’t help but think of the racism of abortion when I read this.  A highly disproportionate number of African American babies are killed by abortion each year.  If we were told that African American babies were being killed because of racial genocide we would be outraged.

But when we hear that African Americans represent only 12% of the population of the United States, yet they account for 35% of the abortions performed in this country (according to the Center for Disease Control), no one seems to care.

Abortion is wrong no matter what the race of the baby.  But, if you’re pro-choice (or just apathetic), doesn’t it make your skin crawl just a little to think that by not opposing abortion you are giving tacit endorsement to the disproportionate killing of a race of people?  If the killing of babies doesn’t make you shudder, how about the lopsided killing of a race?  

Having something in common with Hitler should make us uneasy.  But abortion itself should be the real shame-producer.

Even when we believe our intentions to be good (ie I don’t want a young African American woman to have to have a baby, with no father and no money if she doesn’t want to), it doesn’t make the results any less horrific (ie the unequal killing of a particular race).  

It’s like China’s abortion policy: it results in the killing of baby girls in much greater numbers than boys.  I’ve heard pro-abortionists bemoan this fact.  They like the “one-child policy,” but think that there should be no discrimination in aborting.  What kind of perverse thinking is this?  The answer isn’t to become an equal opportunity killer.  The answer is to stop killing.  

If it’s wrong to abort more girls than boys, then it’s wrong to abort at all.  If it’s wrong to abort more African American babies than white babies, then it’s wrong to abort babies.  

Pro-abortionists’ intentions may appear to be good.  We hear things like, “Let’s make abortion rare.”  The intent behind a statement like this seems good, but the ugly practical reality goes like this: “Let’s keep abortion legal.  Let’s fund abortion with tax-payer dollars. Let’s give young kids condoms and hope they don’t get pregnant.  Let’s get rid of any and all restrictions to abortion.”  

In other words, pro-choicers who intend to make abortion rare, end up making it common.

Proverbs 8:36 “..all who hate me love death.”  Proverbs 12:10 “..the mercy of the wicked is cruel.”

are you an in-church massager?

Yes. You read that right.

In lieu of more serious posting, I thought I’d take a breather with some introspection about in-church massaging.  You know, the person sitting three rows in front of you whose hand never stops caressing the back of their significant other.  

Suddenly, your eyes are riveted to the patterns being made on the back.  You forget what the sermon is about and your finger slips from the place your pastor told you to mark in John 2, as you wonder if they are writing a secret message.  Did I detect number sequencing?  Will they move to full-head massage?  

So, obviously I’ve been distracted by this.  But I’ve also been guilty of it (in small amounts).  Mr. TommyD and I are arm-around-the-shoulders people… this seems much more acceptable to me.  

From Stuff Christians Like, here’s the People Against Massage In Church (PAMIC) Manifesto:

1. The difference between a pat and a massage.

We recognize and respect the need to pat someone on the back. Sometimes, it’s good to say “Hi” or “Good job” or “Your chair is currently resting on my big toe” with a small tap on the back. We support that. But when you pat more than four times and then linger, you have now crossed into massage territory my friend. 

2. Circles are great for cheerios, not church.

We recognize and respect the need to lay a hand on someone as you say hello or want to show your spouse support during a prayer. But when you start rubbing in a circle, a square or any other geometrical shape, you are now giving a massage. That’s not a big deal right? Wrong. Your rotating hand is creating what we call a “circle of distraction.” People around you will not be able to focus on the sermon as they instead become hypnotized by watching you. God hates that. It’s in Numbers or Exodus I think.

3. There are consequences if you try to massage us.

The members of PAMIC are attractive and funny and Godly and often smell very nice. Please don’t get confused by those four things and think it’s OK to ever give us a back or neck rub during church. If you do, we can’t be held responsible if you suddenly find yourself in some sort of karate arm bar lock, a sleeper hold or at the bottom of a wicked leg drop.

4. Don’t confuse not loving in church massages with not loving life, Jesus, our spouses etc.

You will assume, based on our plans to rid all churches, in all countries of “during church massages,” that we are not loving people. Perhaps you are rubbing someone’s neck as an act of worship or praise or affection. It’s possible we held hands with our spouses as we walked into church. We might give back rubs at home. We could be amazing “snugglers” but when it comes to touching folks at church, we follow the Bible. And there’s not a single example of someone in the Bible giving someone else a neck or back rub while Jesus taught. I dare you to find me a verse that shows someone massaging someone else while they listened to the Sermon on the Mount for instance.

Is this extreme? Perhaps, but few great revolutions started quietly. We will not go peacefully. We will march and protest and launch thousands of PAMIC Attacks. (A PAMIC Attack by the way is when you squirt someone that is trying to start a during church massage with a squirt gun full of vinegar.)

Non-massagers of the world unite!”

Don’t worry, for those of you proud in-church massagers, in the interest of fairness, there’s a manifesto for you too.  So, ‘fess up, are you an in-church massager?  Or do you sit, transfixed by the cheerios formed in the rows ahead of you?  

This does raise the larger issue of distractions in church.  What should be stopped/removed because it’s too distracting?  Crying babies?  Fidgety children?  Whispering?  Coughing?  Massaging?  I lean toward a liberal view of noise and distractions during the worship service.  I figure, it’s the body of Christ, we’re not going to be perfectly quiet.  Although disrespectful loud teens are my one caveat.  What’s yours?

guests aren’t strangers… for long

It occurs to me that many more people read this blog than comment on it.  In fact, most of the people who read it don’t comment. 

This is completely fine.  Some of you don’t wish to comment and I don’t want you to feel pressured to do so.  But, some of you may be hesitating for other reasons that I’d like to put to rest, such as:

1) You don’t feel you have anything earth-shattering or new to offer.  I disagree.  I think you do.  It may be small, it may seem insignificant, but it’s not, not to me.  A simple “yes, right on!” or “no way, lady,” will do.

2) We’ve never met.  You think commenting is only for people acquainted with me.  Nope, this is a public blog and I hope for people that I’ve never met to comment.  It energizes and encourages me.  If it helps, think of yourself as a guest here. You already know something about me.  I’d enjoy knowing something about you. 

3) We are loosely affiliated or you know of me or this blog through someone else and think it would be weird to comment.  Nope, you can just tell me our connection.  I’m happy to hear from you.

4) You disagree with what I’m saying and everyone else who’s commenting seems to agree.  Don’t worry, I am excited to hear differing view-points to sharpen me and make me think.  I only ask that we refrain from name-calling and respect the Bible as the final authority.  I think vigorous debate can be highly beneficial.

5) You’re worried that someone will recognize your name or are uncertain about the safety of cyberspace.  Um, I don’t have an answer for that one… it seems fine to me?  Sorry, that’s probably not very reassuring.  

If you’re here, you probably enjoy the blogosphere.  So do I.  It’s OK to join in the conversation (or not).  It takes courage to write a comment.  I don’t take commenters for granted.  It means a lot that someone would take the time to respond to something I’ve written.  Often enough, the comments are more insightful than the original post!

So, dear courageous reader, known and unknown, come on out and say hi!  You are certainly a guest and maybe a stranger, but you can put an end to the stranger thing now.  

Men, women, moms, singles, marrieds, and crazies (you know who you are) all welcome.

the bread of blogging

Recently at my church’s MOMS group someone was reading from Proverbs 31.  

A common occurrence.  One that can frequently cause cringing.  Which I believe happens because we all think we’re supposed to be a replica of that woman.  I could write an entire piece here on why I think that is not (entirely) true.  And why I think it’s ok if we aren’t seeking wool and flax and planting a vineyard.  

I’ll save that for another day, suffice it to say that the woman in Proverbs 31 was one example of godliness.  Not every example.  

So, back to the point.  We were (rightly) exhorted through Proverbs 31:27  not to “eat the bread of idleness.”  And I’ve heard women express their desire to be productive and busy at home coupled with their conviction that online time is not part of “looking well to the ways of their household.”  I don’t want to discourage them from this conviction.  If the Lord is showing this to them, it is probably a problem.

On the other hand, I have also sensed some shame or embarrassment among women who read blogs or are on facebook.  Usually this is how the conversation goes:

Me:  ”Are you on facebook?”

other Mom : “Oh, yes, (initial excitement) it is so much fun to connect with people.  I found my old friend from HS and have been able to chat with her!  But I know it can be addicting (embarrassment sets in).  I’m actually not on it very often.  I try to limit my time.”

Or like this,

other Mom: “(whispering) I read your blog the other day.”

Me: “Oh, really?  Thanks.  I hope you enjoyed it.”

other Mom: “Yes, I really like the piece about ‘x’.  (more expounding on finer points of agreement and disagreement, fruitful and thoughtful conversation ensues).  

other Mom: “Have you ever read ‘blank person’s’ blog?  It’s really good, also I like “x” blog.  

Me: “No, I haven’t.  Those sound great!”  

other Mom: (embarrassed) Well, I try not to spend too much time doing that.  I only check like… once a week or so… at the most.”

I share these conversations to make a point.  Online time is not bad or good in and of itself.  It can be bad or good.  You might do your devotions and Bible-reading online.  Or you might waste hours playing a video game.  

I’m praying that this blog falls more in line with the former example.  I want this to be a place to come and be refreshed by another Christian.  The act of blogging is spiritually refreshing and beneficial for me.  So I hope the act of reading it will be something similar for you.  

I don’t want my readers to feel guilty for the 5-10 minutes they might spend here everyday or every couple days.  I want it to be a place of receiving gracious words “like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body,” or where we “discover good” together by giving “thought to a matter.” (Proverbs 16:24 & 20)

But, lest I get too lofty, I also hope it is simply a breath of fresh air, perhaps a laugh, or a moment to pause.

Welcome to your guilt-free blog zone.

have you heard the good news?

If you have spent any time at this blog, I hope you’ve noticed something.  I hope you’ve noticed an inescapable theme woven through and shaping all my thinking and writing.  The theme is the Gospel.

I have opinions about many things, and I can say with certainty that many of them are flawed.  Sometimes our opinions are a reflection of ourselves, they’re subjective and based on subjective life circumstances.  But there are times when our “opinions” are really beliefs, beliefs based on a reality.  

I think that what I believe about God and His Son, Jesus, and the Bible is one of the latter things.  It is a belief based on a fact, a reality, a truth.  

If I said I believe Lincoln was the President during the Civil War and gave the Gettysburg address and was assassinated while watching the opera, that belief would be true.  It is based on actual events that happened.  

I believe the Bible to have the same sort of historical factual information, and much much more.

Here are the nuts and bolts of what I believe:

God made the earth and Adam and Eve.  They lived in harmony with God, until they sinned.  After they sinned they were separated from God and they and the earth became cursed as a result of their evil.  

The sin problem plagued every human from then on.  It has been life’s biggest, most serious problem.  Their sin, and ours, is against a holy and perfect God who cannot tolerate it and must send sinners to eternal punishment.

For hundreds of years, God’s people, Israel, tried to make peace with God by sacrificing animals to atone for their sin.  God was gracious in forbearing with these less than perfect sacrifices.  

Prophets like Isaiah foretold the coming of a man, called the Messiah, who would save the people from their sins.  And that this Savior would save more than just Israel, but would be for all peoples.  He would be the perfect sacrifice needed to bring peace with God and overcome sin and death.  He would, in fact, be God incarnate.

This God-man, the Messiah, named Jesus, was born of a virgin Mary, he was begotten of God the Father, and He lived a perfect life.  He loved everyone perfectly and was good and just and all the things we might try to be, but fail.  

Eventually He was hanged on a cross.  This was the will of His Father.  It was part of a plan that the Father had to bring reconciliation between Himself and sinful people.  The same sinful people that crucified Christ, would now have the opportunity for peace with God through the very death they enacted.  Jesus was crushed for our iniquity.  

And after He was murdered on our behalf, He rose from the dead after three days, thereby defeating death forever.  

When He rose from the dead, He was seen by many witnesses and even ate a meal with His disciples.  Then God took Him up to heaven.  

This all happened over 2000 years ago.  You can read about it in the Bible.  The Bible is God’s Word.  This means that what is written in the Bible is not simply an historical account (although it is that too), but God’s very words to us, that He inspired mere humans to write.  Everything in it is True and for the benefit of sinful people to come to God and know God and glorify God.  

For me, this is good news.  

This is life-changing news.  It is Life for my dead heart. It is Light for my dark mind.  It is Bread for my hungry soul.  It is the Way, when all ways were shut.  It is the Good Shepherd, when all had gone astray.  It is the Truth, when lies were closing in.  

Does this sound like good news to you?  

Do you sense God’s Holy Spirit beckoning you to taste and see that the Lord is good?  Do you long to cast your burden of sin onto Jesus, gaining for yourself freedom from sin and joy in loving God in this life and forever in heaven?  Do you want to give thanks to God for this gift?  Do you desire to see His name made great, because you now see that He is Great?

I hope you do.  I hope you want to run and find the nearest Bible to learn more about this thing called Christianity.  I hope you decide to find a church that believes the Bible and is depending on Christ for their salvation through faith alone (trusting and believing God), by grace alone (not depending on good works). 

If you want to hear the good news again, in someone else’s words.  Here it is:

Please contact me or a Christian in your life, if you have turned from your sin and are now resting in Christ’s Righteousness.

hoping for virtue and failure

I have heard Christians say that they want the best for President Obama; they hope he is very successful as President and want to support him and give him a chance.  

I can’t (totally) agree with that.  

I certainly can agree to wanting the best for him.  But, I believe the best thing for him would be for one of two things to happen, either, 1) he radically changes some of his strongest beliefs and policy initiatives because of a radical change of heart, or 2) his immoral political ideas are complete flops, thereby sparing him responsibility of having enacted them.

When I hear people I respect say that they want President Obama to be a success, I hope that what they mean is, they  want him to be a good (meaning moral and respectable) President.

Because success, according to the plans he has laid out, would look very different from my definition of success.  His successful plans will mean openly gay persons serving in the military.  It will mean infants born alive after a botched abortion being put to death.  It will mean more sex ed. for younger and younger students.  It will mean less economic freedom.

In his attempt to do these things I hope he is the biggest failure ever.  

Sometimes failing is the very best thing for us.  So, if we truly desire his good, let’s pray for his failure in these areas.  But even more, let’s pray for a major heart change on these issues for him.  

And we should pray the same thing for other legislators trying to enact the same changes.  Strictly speaking, the President doesn’t make the laws, but he can propose policies and veto bills.  And with a Congress that’s mostly behind him, he wields more power than many former Presidents have.  

Beyond praying, we should also do what we can to help ensure the failure of his (immoral) plans.  We can march for life at the capitol on Thursday.  We can write letters, make phone calls and talk to our friends.  

The weight that is on President Obama’s shoulders is huge.  Much is expected of him in his historic role.  I pray that his legacy will not be saddled with the black marks of disdaining life, disrespecting Biblical marriage, and the further disintegration of liberty.

But, if despite my prayers for him, he succeeds in what I hope him to fail, I pray that somehow, God in His wisdom, will create an environment in our country that causes the Gospel to take root here in a new way.  That nominal churches and Christians will be awakened to the depth of God’s Word.  And that those who’ve never considered Christ would now turn to Him.

We can pray that in the midst of moral decay and ungodly change, the Light of the Gospel would shine out all the more brightly.

my firstborn turns 5

I used to wonder what the big deal was about being the firstborn.  I thought, why does the Bible emphasize something as trivial as birth order?  Well, because it’s not trivial.  Now that I have a firstborn, I see that it is a very tough role to fill.  It’s worthy of special blessing because it comes with special responsibility.  

My firstborn, Eliza, seems to be up to the task.  She has had a great year as a four-year-old and is ready to forge into year five.

 

 

Top 10 Things of Being Four:

1) You have had a year of developing friendships, Eliza.  You are a favorite with your cousins, Thad and Norah, whom you adore.  You have friends in Sunday School (one that you’ve had to be separated from due to incessant chatter) and friends from small group.  You are a very loyal friend.  

You have no less than one good friend who considers you to be his future wife.  

2) Your craft and art skills have advanced greatly this year.  You could do crafts all day, everyday (and sometimes do).  You are adept with scissors, glue and tape. You make cards for everyone and are careful to make ones that you think they would like. 

3) You started homeschooling this year.  You are curious about everything and love to learn.  You are also observant about things that I tend to miss.  You have started to read some, and your handwriting is very good.    

4) You have been a very helpful 4-year-old.  You love to help.  You beg to help.  You help with your sister and brother.  You help with cleaning.  You help with cooking.  You help set the table and unload the dishwasher and fold the clothes.  I hope to be as helpful as you are someday.

5) Along with being helpful and enjoying crafts, you have loved projects.  This year you and Nana sewed rice warmers for multiple people (including yourself).  You and Grandma made a large, beautiful gingerbread house.  And you and Seth faithfully worked to move Nana’s rocks from the driveway to the rock pile.

6) Your taste for dancing and music has increased this year.  You took a 5-week gymnastics class, which you greatly enjoyed and were quite good at.  And you have been known to make up your own songs.  Inspiration often comes while riding in the car.  Your genre is usually worship music.  

7) You have been a pleaser.  I hope this isn’t a struggle for you later in life, although likely it will be.  You are driven to do well and crave approval for your work (which we all do to an extent).  

I’m praying that the approval you crave will be satisfied by God’s acceptance of you through His Son’s perfect sacrifice.  And after that is settled, that you will seek to please God for His glory, not to gain favor through works. 

8) You have loved the outdoors.  In fall, spring and summer, you LOVE being outside.  Every tree, leaf, and tiny creature receives your utmost attention.  We went camping in September and you were in heaven, relishing every moment (me, not so much).  Even now, when temps are cold, you desire to be out in it– stomping around, building snowmen.  

9) You have been (mostly) excited to learn Bible verses.  I’m pretty sure this has to do with your competitive spirit.  Every five verses you learn in Sunday School, you get a star.  This motivation is fine for now.  

I hope the verses stick with you and one day they will be more than a star for your bag, but written on your heart and speaking to your soul.  

10) Your interest in Jesus has grown.  Sometimes you get stuck praying or tired of sitting through church, but you perk up when Jesus is mentioned.  You have watched the Jesus film for children and this has been eye-opening to you.  

You are hesitant to open up about it, but, at night, in bed, when I ask you what you think, your tongue loosens and I am hopeful that your admiration for Him will grow and grow into a full-fledged love and devotion.  

My darling girl, Eliza Grace, it seems strange to be raising a girl who I sense will be much better at the everyday things I am teaching you, than I am.  You are more than I hoped for.  

I pray for special grace for you as you grow. I pray that where you are prone to perfectionism, God would reveal Christ as the only Perfect One and where you are prone to people-pleasing, that God would show Christ Jesus to be the only Pleasing Sacrifice.  

I pray you will be consecrated to God, forever, and no one will be able to snatch you out of the Father’s hand.

racing into the 3′s

My Seth-man turns 3 today.  

I thought I’d start a top ten tradition for the kids’ birthdays.  So, for him, it will be the Top Ten Things of being Two, written to him, and no, he can’t read, but (hopefully) he will be able to one day, and this might mean something to him then.

Top Ten Things of Being Two:

1) You started talking in sentences!  This has been very exciting as previously all communication was done through grunting and pointing.  Your enthusiasm at being able to tell us effectively what you want is unmatched.  It’s a great delight to watch you and Eliza have long conversations about million different things.

2) Related to that, you’ve also begun to pray.  Often you’ll copy what Eliza prays, but then you add on your own prayers.  They consist of lists of things you’re thankful for, like different foods that you like and cars and Jejus (as you call Him).  

3) You have shown an instinctive attraction to anything with wheels.  In this, you are much like your daddy, which greatly pleases him.  

Your favorite movie (or obsession) is Cars.  You can’t get enough of it and would watch it daily, if allowed.  You love Daddy’s car, and most mornings run to the window to watch him and it drive away to work.  You often ask, “I ride in Daddy car?”  And after you do, you say, “Mommy, we go berry fast in Daddy car!”  

4) You have been shy this year.  I’m not sure if this will last.  You don’t like direct or strong attention from people.  You prefer for people to kind of pretend like you’re not there, then slowly, you will approach them when the timing is right.  

5) You have been very attached to me, your mommy (that’s what you call me now–which I note, because I know that won’t last when you’re a teen).  This has meant spontaneous hugs and, “Mommy, I love you!”  coupled with hesitance to be comforted by anyone else but me.  

6) You have gotten great reviews from the nursery workers at church (they’ve always adored you) who tell me that you play very happily and independently (usually with cars).  You are good about going to nursery.  And always very happy to come out!

7) You have had a fast year.  I don’t remember how fast you were at age one, but it couldn’t have been as fast as age two.  You run around the house like a strike of lightning.  You are the pitter-patter of little feet.  Although, when you’re really moving, it sounds more like elephants stampeding.  You jump and dance fast too.

8) You have been a riot.  I’m sure every mom says this.  But you really are Seth!  You pulled all the keys off of daddy’s computer one day.  

You say things like, “Focus. I am speed,” when getting ready to go potty.  You say, “My bellybutton is full,” when you’re done eating.  And if you have something important it’s, “WOOK, Daddy, WOOK!” (look)  

9) Your diet has (thankfully) grown this year to include foods other than just yellow cheese and milk. Phew.  If I leave you in front of your plate long enough, you’ll usually try whatever is on it.  But you scorn everything at first.  

10) You’re favorite stories this year have been Jonah and the Big Fish and David and Goliath.  You can quote them both from start to finish.  They’re from the Beginner’s Bible with pictures.  You laugh hysterically when Goliath gets nailed in the forehead.  Recently you’ve been enjoying Jesus and the Twelve Dudes Who Did.

Seth, I love you and am proud of you.  I pray that despite your parents (esp your mom) you would come to know the Lord.  I know I am making mistakes, but I pray that in my weakness Christ’s perfection would be made glorious.  

I want a million things for you, but they can all be summed up in saying that I want you to know the joy of knowing Christ, seeing His beauty, loving His sacrifice and resting in His forgiveness.  I pray He would keep you forever, His own child, appointed of Him.

 

an organic confession

There’s something you should know about me.  

I’m not an organic person.  I mean, I am organic, in the true sense of the word (read: I am derived from living things).  But, I’m not an organic mom (read: one who buys “organic” food, uses cloth diapers, green cleaning supplies, and won’t let anything labeled trans-fat touch her lips).

I may have just lost a chunk of my readers, but I’ll plunge ahead, assuming you are all still hanging with me and give the reasons:

1) Health isn’t my top priority. *gasp*.  I know it sounds weird to write down.  Maybe it’s wrong to feel this way? I’d rather spend the extra time it takes preparing uber-healthy organic food, doing something that is uber-healthy for my soul.  

2) The evidence about food is always changing anyway.  Low-fat used to be the sure-fire way to avoid heart disease, now it’s low-carb.  What if, in a couple years, they discover that all the chemicals organic farmers aren’t putting on the food, really were needed to keep diseased food off the shelves?

3) For me, food isn’t moral, it’s fuel.  I eat food so that I can walk around during the day.  I don’t eat food so that I can achieve perfect health.  (Similarly, I don’t think the earth is “moral.“)

4) It’s expensive.  I think it should be named “big organic,” the same way people say, “big oil.”

5) I don’t believe that eating organic is really going to keep me healthier.  I don’t think I have that kind of control over my health.  If God decides I’m getting cancer, he may use aspartame to do it, or he may use faulty genes, or he may just zap me.  But, either way, when he decides it, it’s happening.  

I have a friend who didn’t breast-feed her kids… on purpose. *double gasp*.  

It’s not because she’s unable.  It’s just a personal choice.  Her three older children are believers who passionately love God and others (her youngest is only 5, so I’m not sure about him:).  One time she told me, with a smile, “No, I didn’t breast-feed them, but they seem to have turned out ok.”  Now, that’s somebody with her priorities straight!

So, now you know.  I’m organically reluctant.  Can we still be friends?

Note: I feel a strong inclination to say that, yes, we do eat a (usually) balanced diet with veggies, etc. My kids don’t drink soda-pop and eat potato chips for supper.

 And for Mr. TommyD’s (my husband) sake, I should also note that he does not share my aversion to all-things organic.

sunday misadventures

Every parent knows the strange things that can happen on a Sunday morning that prevent you from getting out your door and into the doors of church.  

It’s a universal phenomenon.  

The baby spitting up moments after getting her sunday clothes on.  The preschooler who’s missing a shoe.  The school-age child who is buckled in the car, only to remember they forgot the baby bottle they’ve been collecting change in that is due back this very Sunday.

This Sunday surpassed our usual Sunday slow-downs.

It started with Elianna.  My 17-month-old’s nose started to drip blood out one side like a leaky faucet, just a I’m getting coats on the older two.   By the time I reached her, she had smeared it everywhere and looked like she came straight from Nightmare on Elm Street.

We made it to church on time, but were slowed by a lack of parking and long lines at the kids’ check-in.  When I sat down for the service, the announcements had just begun.  I’m thinking, not too bad.

After church, I herd the kids to the car by myself, because Tom had been to first service, having played on the worship team.  He left after he was done playing for second service to head home and shovel/salt the driveway for small group at our house later that night.  So it’s just the kids and me.

The kids are buckled and I hear Eliza push the lever to close the automatic sliding door on our minivan–not unusual, however, the sounds I heard upon the door latching were quite out of the ordinary.  Her screams still echo in my head as I write this.  

Her hand was shut in the door.  The 3-5 seconds it took me to find the button to re-open the door and free her hand were some of the longest in my life.  

I generally think of myself as cool under pressure.  But it took everything I had to contain the utter chaos I felt inside.  I wanted to scream for help and tear my clothes.  And I hadn’t even had my hand shut in the door!

So, I quickly find a friend who’s cell phone I can borrow to call Tom and tell him I’m heading for the ER, just certain that her hand is broken.  Her crying is still pretty intense and the hand looks ugly.  He agrees to meet me there.  But, after returning the cell phone and having my friend look at it, things didn’t seem quite so bad.

The crying slowed to an intermittent whimper and the hand was now bending and recognizable.  

After making an ice-pack with a plastic target bag and some handfuls of snow, we decide to go home.  At home, Tom is waiting anxiously for us in the garage.  He examines the hand and by now, it is swollen some, but moving well.  And Eliza is cheerful.

But wait, there’s more.

I begin cleaning and vacuuming for small group.  Pretty soon, Eliza comes upstairs saying, “There’s a big flood down there.”  I think, hmmm, maybe Tom overflowed the toilet.  Nope.  Eliza says, “It’s in the laundry room.  Daddy’s cleaning it up.”  

Turns out, Tom had turned the faucet on in our utility sink in the laundry room.  He was going to clean out our Bissel wet vac, which had been used the prior Sunday to clean up vomit (we were all sick), when he got the call about Eliza’s hand.  He had quickly forgotten the water in the sink during the mayhem of the moment.  Thankfully, he cleaned up the flooded laundry room, with no damage to the house.  

And here’s my confession.

When he told me that he’d forgotten about the water turned on in the sink, my first reply was, “Oh, you went to watch the game and forgot about it?”  Ouch.  Nothing like assuming the worst and being 100% wrong.  Well, I’m hoping for a very uneventful next Sunday.  And if I can’t get that, I’ll settle for a Sunday sans blood, mangled hands or floods.  

Do you have any Sunday stories?