This morning, as I sat in our regular pew at our wonderful church, watching my son attempt to quietly "occupy" himself during the sermon, I couldn't help but remember my early days in the family pew.
During my childhood, the Curry's were regular attenders of the Marissa Presbyterian Church in the heart of our hometown, Marissa IL. Like many small town country churches, our church was a wonderful place to be a kid, as long as you kept it under control. There was a nursery for those who needed a few minutes in a rocking chair, but for those who require a more age appropriate (all natural) sedative, there wasn't much available. So in the early years, I remember fully exploring the limits of my imagination during some lengthy (although rich with wisdom I'm sure) sermons. Here are some of my favorites:
If I were lucky enough, or more likely fast enough, to get the seat on the outside of the pew, I could easily occupy a good ten minutes imagining tiny race-cars zooming down the grooves in the pew's armrest. I would run my finger down the imaginary ramp over and over again and visualize the car or motorcycle launching itself towards the front of the church. Normally this would go generally unnoticed until of course I decided to add in sound effects.
Our church normally had a number of candles near the pulpit that naturally would draw the attention of a child making that subtle transition from paying attention to completely zoning out. During my regular transition, I would always make a pit stop with a thought that probably would have been a bit disturbing for the congregataion and especially the pastor. I would spend time thinking about a few "ifs".... if I happened to bring my bow and arrow with me to church, and if no one would mind me taking a little target practice, and if it wouldn't result in the whole church burning down, I could totally nail each candle stick in rapid succession, sending the gold candle tops falling to the floor in record time. There were always a few that would have been great candidates for the "double-shot" from the right angle. Thankfully, most PCA churches have a strict "no bow and arrow" policy.
Finally, the memory of those early years in church that is closest to my heart is also probably the most simple. I don't know if I hold the record for the Curry kids, but I'm certain I'm in the running for most rotations of my mother's wedding ring around her ring finger. My mother's wedding and (I assume) her engagement ring are two separate rings that interlock at the diamond. So naturally, I was often overcome by the irresistible urge to spin the wedding ring 360 degrees until it fit back into place with the engagement ring, and repeat until the completion of the sermon....
So, as I watched my oldest son transition from twiddling his thumbs, to doodling on the bulletin, to playing with the air vent, I couldn't help remembering "the good old days" in the church I grew up in......and scanning the sanctuary for any burning candles.
