The Family is of God

Church is something of a challenge for my little family right now.

Corbin is one and well, one year olds hate church.  It's a given.  Gregg spends 2/3 of church out in the hallway and the other 1/3 we play lion tamer by pulling out all of the tricks.  Last sunday we gave him a squeezy food to which he went a little haywire and flung it out of his mouth while squishing the packet.  As a result, food splattered as far as two rows up and got all over the man in front of us.  We're a classy family like that.

Emme on the other hand, has decided she can and will go wherever she wants to during church.  Primary is more of a suggestion.  An obstacle if you will.  She can be found fleeing the scene about a dozen times throughout the duration.  I'm a teacher in Primary for another class and that doesn't help. She's about a 1000 times worse when her parents are around.

We've been trying to incorporate Family Home Evening into our week and we all usually end up in a frustrated ball of contention.  Not really what FHE is all about.  Emme will simply not have it.  I've been trying to prepare her for her Primary program by playing the songs they've been learning, but once again, she will not have it.  After the first two lines, she's moved on.

A few weeks ago, we practiced for the program during church.  All of the kids struggled and had a hard time sitting for that long, but Emme took the cake.  If she wasn't laying in front of the group flailing around she was escaping out the door and running her little heart out.  Time number four after I had ran out to grab her, the president took over.  I then had to watch while she kicked and hit the poor women while trying to get to the door knob.  My eyes started to water while we practiced "The Family is of God."  Emme was out of control screaming in front of everyone as we came to the chorus,  "God gave us families, to help us become what He wants us to be---This is how He shares His love, for the family is of God."

I had many thoughts cross my mind at that moment, but the one at the forefront was, "who AM I becoming?"  That day it was a little embarrassed and lot stressed out.

I had NO idea how the actual program would go.  I knew of one song out of sixish that she had memorized.  During one of Emme's joy runs the president and Gregg discussed what would be best.  They questioned even having her sit on the stand at all.  It was a valid suggestion.  Who knew what she was capable or incapable of?  I sure didn't.

The time came for the Primary to overtake Sacrament meeting.  The president sat next to Emme and had a row of chairs blocking any escape.  She's a genius, by the way.  Well, wouldn't you know?  Emme was born to perform.  After hearing her speaking part a couple times she had it memorized and belted it into the microphone.  Every. Single. Song. Was sung with gusto...and by gusto I mean GUSTO.  She had every word memorized.  Gregg and his mom who had come to watch got multiple thumbs up and waves.  Even a few, "HI DAD! HI GRAMMY!"

Our daughter, the incapable/the capable rocked the Primary Program.  We came to The Family is of God and every eye was on Emme and her bright belting take on it.  I soon saw tears flowing throughout the crowd and the president and I were not an exception.  There were a handful of people who know Emme well and knew they were witnessing a miracle unfold.  It was a tear jerker.

This time my heart burst with pride and I felt the confirmation of the words, "God gave us families, to help us become what He wants us to be---This is how He shares his love, for the family is of God."