And As The Visiting Pastor Here Today ...

... everybody got to sit down while Pastor Christoph from Lutheran Campus Ministry at Minot State University -- Martha's alma mater -- read the Gospel passage from the final chapter of John yesterday. A few minutes earlier at church yesterday came the children's sermon, where everybody "from 9 to 99" was invited to come up. I'm under 99, so I went up, and of my kids who usually DON'T go up for the children's sermon Jeffrey came up with me! (We sit close to the front of the church, so I haven't complained too much lately. I am just ... hurt that Sarah and Jeffrey seem to be so shy in that instance, when they aren't -- ask most anyone who knows them!)


This weekend we got to mostly sit back and, despite my mental haranguing about them spending so much time on the tablets, hang out minus the time Martha was working Saturday morning and afternoon at our local Burger King. We met her there for lunch, though it was brunch for the kids -- since I didn't go and therefore didn't bring them to Breakfast With The Boys at church with me Saturday morning and after that, glory to God, we got something at another area church's rummage sale that I honestly said I'd look for. A bathroom scale. Our previous one lost one of its legs and it was electronic, but this one you just stand on and see your weight like at a doctor's office.


Got it for three bucks too, a freewill offering. And as we'd gone AFTER lunch we didn't get tempted to eat the lunch they served at the church. After that we went to Lulu Lane, a local business that was celebrating its second anniversary ("Luluchella") and the kids and I stopped there. In addition to everything in the infants and children's clothing and other items store being 20% off all weekend, a friend of the owner had come in from Williston to paint kids' faces. I got the feeling it was intended just for kids when I asked if I could get my painted too since Sarah and Jeffrey got excited about getting theirs done -- and they usually don't.


And then Jeffrey backed off (I thought) but I figured I'd have some fun anyway and had the top of a Spider-Man mask done on my forehead -- cool job Natasha did too! -- before Sarah had an ice cream cone painted on the left side of her face. On our face those pretty much lasted until Saturday night when we washed them off in the shower; indeed, I kept brushing my hand against my forehead and makeup kept coming off in smudges. How do some people stand wearing it all day? So as I promised and the kids especially Jeffrey never ceased to remind me, we got back to the house and settled in until Martha got home. I got (as opposed to Sunday night where the kids and I MADE) dinner.


Because daddies always keep their promises!
That's what you taught me!

This is what Jeffrey told me on our way home from Lulu Lane ... and I'd like to think that's true, especially of me. So after church Sunday morning we had another Family Sunday School session where this time we engaged in "progressive painting". We started with painting our own tree branches with something representative of joy, peace, love, or faith and in a few minutes we'd head over to another table and continue painting on someone else's. It was a lot of fun, and after Martha got home we all laid back for a bit -- didn't want to go walk because it's really windy -- but then while Mommy rested the kids and I fixed dinner and let her sleep off a migraine. I'll avoid the obvious pun.


David