For or Four?

This weekend, Don and I were on Retreat. This is a Retreat that we attend annually, usually in the mountains but, this year, the Retreat was held in our town. On Wednesday before the Friday beginning of the Retreat, I found out that the friend that I thought was going to keep our children was unable. Apparently, she had called and left a message with Deanna, who had forgotten to tell me.

So, Thursday morning, I was scurrying around, trying to find someone I trusted to devote their entire weekend to our children. Don suggested a particular friend on his way out the door Thursday morning. I called her and asked if there was ANY block of time during the weekend that she might be able to watch our children so Don and I could attend at least one session together. She quickly remarked that she would keep them for the whole weekend. I was floored. It was amazingly gracious of this woman to agree, at the last minute, to give up her weekend to keep my children.

But Don and I were very uncertain what to do about church on Sunday. We would be attending church at the Retreat, but I wasn't sure Daelyn would be able to handle sitting through a service with someone else at their church. Our pediatrician has recommended we not put our children in any nurseries because Dane always seems to get sick after any of them have paid a visit to a nursery. He has asthma and is very susceptible to everything.

Don and I were still trying to come up with a solution on Saturday night when an announcement was maid that we could bring our children with us to church and the closing talk on Sunday.

We had to be at church, with the kids in tow, all the way across town (a 20-min. drive for us) by 8:30 Sunday morning. The final session ended at 1:00 p.m. The children were exhausted, as were Don and I. It had been a very busy, long weekend. We took off for home to eat lunch and get everyone bedded down for a good nap to try and recondition them before school Monday morning.

Our city was planning a Life Chain to visibly stand against abortion and show our support for Life. In the past, we've always attended these. But, under the circumstances, Don and I could just NOT see our way clear to add another thing onto the children's calendar.

I was talking with a girlfriend of mine last night at a funeral home during the visitation for the family of an old friend. My friend has several older children, as well as a daughter Deanna's age and a 4 1/2 year old son. She told me that her family had been able to attend the Life Chain.

Her 4 1/2 year old was holding a sign that said, "Abortion kills babies." A Catholic priest was walking by and saw this very young man holding this big sign and stopped.

"Do you know what that sign says," he asked little Jimmy.

"It says that abortion kills people," Jimmy responded, according to his mother. "And it's wrong!"

"So, Jimmy, are you for or against abortion?" the Priest asked, trying to help Jimmy better understand his purpose for being at the Life Chain.

"I'm four and a half."

Thanks, Judy, for the great story.

And may the soul of Helen Scholly rest in peace.