Sunday, August 9, 2009

Mostly Random...

For those of you still concerned, may I offer an update on the MIA Binjas. They are still MIA- hopefully they are not suffering somewhere as POWs. That would be intolerable. We have cleaned bedrooms and family rooms and lofts. And the Binjas are nowhere to be found. I have considered calling in Mr. Clinton to see if he could work his magic and negotiate a release for those poor, tortured Binjas. The good news is that it seems little son has forgotten about them. For now...

We had a wonderful weekend. The highlight of which just may have been the cooler temperatures. Truly lovely weather. Thank you, Summer, for taking a break from us. I am not sure how eager I am to welcome you back this week.

Little son will be starting preschool on Tuesday. That will leave me childless for 4 hours every week. Did you hear me? I said FOUR HOURS EVERY WEEK!! I almost don't know what to do with myself. But, I think I may be able to figure something out.

Today at church after the newest little 8 year old baptised member of our ward was recognized, middle daughter proclaimed her desire not to get baptised. Lest you despair, I shall explain. She absolutely detests submerging her head in water. Unless it is the bathtub. She has truly perfected the swim-with-head-above-the-water in the pool and avoids dunking her head- at all costs. So, she promptly declared to me that she will not get baptised. Exclamation point. Then, not a minute later, she turned to me and declared, "Well, I guess I will get baptised. I will just wear goggles." Problem solved. (we'll make sure they are white)

I substituted for an absent Primary teacher and was lucky enough to be able to teach middle daughter's class. Wow. What a class. I have ultimate respect for the regular teacher. God bless her. One particularly dramatic little girl in the class was accidentally poked in the eyeball by another little girl. Her exclamation was, "I am going to be blind for the rest of my life!" Indeed, she was terribly blind for the next minute. And only intermittently blind for the duration of the lesson- when she was reminded of the incident.

And now a little bit about me. I am a Sunday front row sitter. All the time. Sacrament meeting. Sunday School. Relief Society. And let me tell you why. Growing up, my family always sat within the front three rows in the chapel, depending on which row was available. I never really thought much about it as a kid. But, when I left home to go to college, I became a back row sitter. For just about a month. Because I came to a realization: when I sat on the back row, I paid more attention to the people in the congregation than to what the speaker was saying and what I could be learning. So, I moved back up to the front couple of rows.

When I married the husband, we began sitting on the front row- mainly because he had ample leg room with no bench in front of us. I never had considered how uncomfortable it might be to have to fold a 6'6" frame in between two pews. So, we sit on the front row and I admit, I love it. Even my children are more attentive on the front row. We have occasionally been on a back row with the children and it has been a nightmare. Every time. My kids are able to focus better on the front row- they don't become distracted with all their friends- and they know what we are at church for. It works for us.

So, I want to know: where do you sit? And, do you panic if someone is in "your spot"?

8 comments:

Chris said...

Well dear, as you know, I currently sit on the stand. And, I typically don't panic when someone is in my spot, cause that means I get to sit by you! Plus, no-one has sat in my seat as far back as I've had this calling... :)

uniquelynat said...

well. i was thinking about this very thing just yesterday as we arrived late and had to sit in the "way back". i didn't like it. and we usually sit in one of the side pews. i don't know why. i was also pondering this yesterday as i should have been listening to the speaker, who happened to be a friend of mine, and she gave a good talk about adversity btw.

but one thing that did come out of my pondering- i want to begin sitting closer to the front again. i agree with you...the children focus more.

Randibee said...

We sit in the middle.

Becuse we are middle-of-the-road mormons.

And if someone is in our seat, we don't come back to church.

Just kidding...

But we do sit in the middle, and we don't panic if our row is taken.

Randibee said...

ps-I hope you find the binjas.

And enjoy the time to yourself. It is a rare and valuble thing.

Shannon said...

I'd much rather sit in the front, like you. We have always sat on the second row until we moved here. The front row has always been a bit of a distraction having no confining pew in front, though we'd probably be fine now with older kiddos and certain children would find it harder to lean forward and try to sleep. Hmmm... I will ponder that. Apparently there are other families who feel the same way and love sitting in the front. We are now all the way back to the 5th or 6th row. I agree, it's much easier to pay attention when there are fewer people in front of you.

Enjoy your four hours each week. It's a most wonderful feeling and it's never as long as you imagine it will be. May you get much accomplished!

Elizabeth said...

I don't care for front rows myself- I don't focus as well because I am too worried that the back of my hair is messed up-because I always forget to look before we leave- I'm a dork, I know:)..
So, as a result, we tend to sit more "front of the back" or "all the way back" That way only 1/2 the congregation knows when my hair is a mess!!

cmom said...

We have been the second row family forever. I almost run out of the chapel screaming if I can't have my second row. It has moved from the middle to the edge since I have no family to sit by anymore.

Nathan said...

We are totally front row-ers as well (although, I guess we technically sit on the 3rd row). I grew up on the front row too, and it really is nice to keep all the distractions behind us.

I've also noticed that I like to keep the pulpit between myself and the bishopric. I don't want them staring at me getting any ideas about putting me in as the choir director or something.