Day one of a seven-day stretch of blogging fun/torture/chaos with Jennifer Fulwiler and frenz….let’s see I clocked in at about 100 or so, enough blog reading to last a while I’d say.  So stay tuned all week-long.

Sunday night:  Brainstorm #1  Our family Mass snapshot

*not our regular church, this is the local Basilica. Beautiful church.

Funny how church life mimics life in its constantly changing routine.  When the kids were little we tried the cry room, the right up front, occasional staggering of Mass, etc, etc, until we found our fit.  With each child things mixed up again and then settled and repeat.  Now that we (mostly) get through Mass without  major drama and meltdowns….hahaha, who am I kidding?  There’s always someone with an issue, but we aren’t wrestling in the pews anymore, everyone knows how to whisper or just zip it and the general decorum expected at Mass is upheld.  Just as we hit our rhythm once again…it changes.  Again.  le sigh.

At the moment we are at a stage in our family life that we are splitting up Masses.  It’s so NOT my favorite season, but for now, we do what we have to do….and it IS just a season.  Hubby is working with my brother-in-law on Sundays –good for the BIL and good for our family as we work toward debt reduction, but a total bummer on Sunday morning family Mass.  Our 12-year-old is earning volunteer hours so she’s been hitting the Saturday vigil Mass with Dad so she can volunteer with the PreK crew at the 9 a.m. Mass. Our youngest son plays his horn in the 9 a.m. Sunday Mass and both girls have Religious Ed. following 9 a.m. Sunday Mass.  Which finds us all over the place, people.  All.  Over.  The.  Place.  We have been TRYING for a twice monthly Mass on Saturdays for all of us, however, realistically we’ve probably averaged once a month.  Just keep tryin’;  it’s only a season.  My mantra.

Sunday morning’s Mass was funny because with only our youngest and I present, we sat in the front row because she informed me that she only takes the precious blood if less than 10 people go before her.  She counts.  Everytime.  Front pew made us #1 and #2, so today was body and blood.  For the win.

My favorite priest (retired and 90) was there today and in wrapping up Mass he analogized today’s homily message on forgiveness, Agape love and the gospel readings with his disappointment in Ireland’s rugby showing in England recently (in his Irish brogue), “I may love my English neighbors, but I don’t have to like them.”  Funny.  True.

What’s YOUR church snapshot?

Blessings on the week ahead!