Why Are You Closing Your Eyes?

Being it was Easter today, Valerie agreed to attend a church service with me this morning while Dags and daddy stayed home. Usually, when we go to church, Valerie goes to a little Sunday school class to hear a bible story, do a craft, eat a snack and burn energy swinging on a jungle gym. The church we know makes a big beautiful production of Easter and I thought today VV may actually gain something by experiencing a real church experience for once.

By no means could anyone call me an observant religious person. In fact, my attendance at spiritual services is spotty at best. I have my own beliefs that are comfortable for me. I don't like other people telling me what I should believe and how I should do it and I hope that I never do that to others. However, I do enjoy listening to a pastor's sermon when I can connect their message to my own life. Now, being a parent and realizing that our government is based on Judeo-Christian principles and our society has Judeo-Christian values, I feel a strong responsibility to educate my children about spirituality in our country. At some point, they may reject or embrace religion, but that will be their independent choice. My job as a parent is to provide my children with options they may find useful duing their lives.

Knowing that today's service could be long, I thought I arrived prepared with a banana and raisins in the event VV desparately needed nourishment. Fortunately, we received a program and ink pen as Easter "freebies". These tools definitely helped to occupy her during the 70 minutes service.

Things started off great! VV was entertained by the lively music, beautifully dressed people, and the general buzz of the crowd. This church happens to be nondenominational, so they do things in a unique fashion. The ushers passed around communion within the first five minutes of arrival - perhaps to get such formalities out of the way. Admittedly, I have not participated in communion probably since 8th grade, so I just passed along along the tray. Curiously, VV stared at the grape juice & immediately announced that she was thirsty! I explained that the grape juice was really communion and that she could participate when she grows up and learns what communion means. I figured it was too complicated to tell her it represents Christ's body and is supposedly a means for washing away the sins of mere mortals. I can only imagine her questions.... Who's Christ? What's a sin? Ewe... we're eating someone's body? That's gross...... Yep, a little too young to have that conversation. I think it helped that I passed the tray along without partaking. Fortunately, any debate was averted.

During most of the service, the pastor focused on the usual Easter topic - why Jesus died, how He died, how He was buried and why He was resurrected. Of course, during all of this, VV diligently drew pictures on her program. She seemed fairly content & I figured her absorption of the pastor's words was minimal. Overall, I felt relieved that she did not disturb other parishoners. At one point, the pastor exclaimed that Easter was not just about bunnies and eggs. At which point, VV retaliated with bright, happy eyes and a confident voice, "The Easter Bunny came to my house last night! He brought eggs to my house! The eggs were on the stairs - it was SO funny!" I quickly agreed with her and hushed her. Then, I apologetically looked for bothered nearby listeners. Fortunately, kind eyes met my own.

As the preacher finished his lecture, the congregation bowed their heads in a final prayer. I followed suit, but quickly peeked at VV. I watched her eyes move from person to person and finally her eyes met mine. She sweetly asked, "Why are you closing your eyes mommy? Why is everyone closing their eyes?"

I responded, "We are praying sweatheart. Praying means we are talking to God."

VV looked pensive, but seemed to respect the congregation's moment of silence. She smiled up at me, climbed on my lap and hugged me. At some point, she will ask me who God is. If she asks her daddy, he will retort with a smart aleck comment. Yet, part of me dreads her posing the question to me. I guess that I better determine a cogent response soon! That question is surely to arrive any day.

In the meantime, I will bask in her angelic behavior at this morning's Easter service.