There is an amazing Christian camp on this island and we, as a cottager community, support it-if we are able. My husband spent nine years of his life working at this camp in the summers and we value what they do...we DO support it, both financially and through lots of prayer. With this weekend being the summer cottager "kick-off" weekend of sorts we had our cottager church service. All cottagers that were there and able to attend did so.
I have to admit, I was kind of dreading the service. The night before I even mentioned to Kevin that we might just skip it and take the boys for a long walk in the woods instead. This really isn't like me...but I felt it would be such a challenge that I might not be up to. Why??? The kids.
I love my boys...a ton. But they can be...energetic. Rambunctious. Excitable. We try...we have rules and guidelines. We discipline...but still they are just 3 and 5. They can sit still and listen...for so long. I worried about this service. There is nothing for the kids. Would they be okay? Would I spend the entire time trying to keep them settled and quiet? Kev encouraged me and stated that he felt we should still go...which I knew to be true.
We went to the service and it was such a blessing. We sang old hymns without a piano-it took me back to Sunday night services with my family. We heard a good word about the community that we are and that God calls us to support his ministry there. And the boys??? Well...they did all right!
They made it through the hymns. Church was informal. We were gathered on couches in the wheelhouse and there were cushions on the floor in the middle. At some points the boys sat with us, and at points they lounged on the couches. They laid on top of each other and beside each other but overall did well. Kev took Rocky out about 1/3 of the way into the message as his little three year old attention span was finally done and Rusty spent the remainder of the sermon reading stories out of a children's Bible I found lying near by-I'm so glad he can read! I left feeling so thankful that we had gone.
Where is the encouraging surprise, you ask? It came many hours later. We were making our way up from spending time fishing down at the docks. I met up with another cottager that had been at the service. She has three kids, two 17 year-old daughters and a 14 year-old son. She stopped me on the wharf and said, "I just wanted you to know how great your kids were today in church and how well they did." I tell you, this momma heart just about burst into tears then and there. It was such a blessing. It meant so much to me that she had taken the time to seek me out and tell me this. As a young mother I often feel so judged by those older than me. I feel like they look at us young mothers and our kids and wonder what we are doing when we are trying so, so hard. I try not to place these judgments into the minds of other people too often, but it happens.
We ended up having a long and wonderful conversation about raising children and I was so encouraged by her as a whole. I also felt I had made a new friend on the island...something that has been slow in coming for this introverted implant into the community. It was also a good reminder for me. As mothers, we need to work to be encouraging to one another. We need to share when we see something good happening in the lives of the other mothers around us...even if we don't know them! You may never realize just what a difference you can make in their days!
How can you be encouraging to a mom you see today?
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| My Amazing Boys |
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