FROM THE CHILD'S POINT OF VIEW

I have fun all week long, but there is something special about Sundays. Its sort of a different kind of fun. Ever since I can remember mom and dad brought me to church. When I was real young I didn't know where I was, and I would scream and fuss whenever it seemed like the thing to do. But mom would always pick me up real quick, and I could tell there was something wrong. It wasn't like at home. If I kept it up, she would take me out, and I could tell she was upset. One time I was really fussing more that I should have been, and after she took me to the cry room she gave me a little smack. I really did not understand like I do now, but I began to get the picture, even though it didn't really hurt too much. Even back then I didn't like to upset mom or dad.

When I got a little older I realized that the church building during worship is a special place. Even though I could only say a few words and didn't understand what was going on too well, I knew that when things start, its time to be quiet. For one thing, mom only brought soft quiet toys for me to play with. Another thing, neither she nor dad would ever give me any of my toys or anything I wanted if I was making any noise. They would make sure that I was behaving myself first, then I could have those things.

One time I noticed one of my friends was carrying on at church and his parents gave him their car keys to play with. Then they wondered why he made so much noise with the keys, and tried to quiet him down. He got noisier and noisier, and each time they gave him something else. I wish that worked with my folks. But then they got really mad and took him out and spanked him. He seemed really confused.

Anyway, I'm much older now, and I really understand that when we get together at the church building, it's to worship God and not to play. It's hard, because its tough to sit still that long. A few weeks ago I just couldn't sit still, and dad reached over and pinched me. That got my attention, and I knew I was in for it. When we got home he told me that if I could not sit still for an hour at church he would make me sit still for an hour at home. I had to sit without doing anything or making any noise at all for a whole hour. (Actually, it was only ten minutes, but it seemed like an hour.) That was really miserable. I know that next time it will probably be a whole hour, and I could never stand that. But then, I am almost a big kid now, and the big kids don't seem to have much trouble sitting still.

I sure am glad that mom and dad love me enough to put up with me. I know that I have caused them a lot of discomfort and inconvenience at times, but I know that they care for me and want me to understand all about God. Maybe some day I will be able to make them proud of me.