It was another thing I never experienced as a pastor. I was going to take care of Kobe, so my wife can just worship God. I just had one goal: listen to the sermon, and I guess a secondary goal was to actually pay attention.
It was easy in the beginning. I got this! I was worshipping with the congregation as Kobe danced along. Since Living Way wasn’t so crowded, he didn’t get in other people’s way. But still, it was one eye on worship and one eye on Kobe. and no, I couldn’t close my eyes during prayer. no biggie. Then Kobe sat through the announcements and testimony for 10 minutes. Can Kobe last longer? gosh, I wished the sermon came first. Then there was a short intro and reading of the passage. Then 1 minute into the sermon, Kobe couldn’t sit still. I had to take him out.
They had the typical TV and audio right outside the chapel, but the sound sucked. The audio is blaring out of the TV internal speakers, muffled with static. Yes, I could make out what he’s saying, but there’s no pleasant comfort. Churches spend thousands of dollars for the sound system inside the chapel but can’t shell out $50 for an aux speaker from Ebay? it’s freaking ridiculous.
I thought I could drop off Kobe at the nursery so I could go back in the chapel. It was a good nursery, and they even sing songs there, but like other nurseries, there’s no sermon feed there. Anyway, every time I got up to leave, Kobe would start crying, especially since he didn’t know anybody there. I couldn’t leave him. There was another TV set right outside the nursery, and the sound was not as horrible there. However, there were parents sitting there chatting away about ice cream shops. And I didn’t want to be that jerk who says, “Can you guys keep it down? I’m trying to listen.”
So I went back to the area right outside the chapel. 1/3 of the way into the sermon, it was easy to catch up, since I’ve preached on this passage before, and he was going in order. But half the time I’m chasing Kobe around. Now, Kobe wanted milk. I had to go back in the chapel with Kobe to get my bag. We were in there for a minute, and I was sweating just so Kobe wouldn’t be disruptive.
2/3 of the way into the sermon, Kobe decided to go up the stairs. Then for the first time, Kobe started going down all by himself. wow! Now I’m not even listening to the muffled sermon. At the most important part of the sermon, the last 2 minutes, the background music started, and I couldn’t hear a thing. no, nothing wrong with the praise team; it’s the TV speaker sound. I couldn’t even hear how he was bringing it all together.
At the end of the day, with lots of effort, I got the main point of the message. But I missed all the nuances, and that special insight or inspiration that sets a good sermon apart from the average ones. It felt like that rushed meal you get when you’re also feeding your kid. I can’t get no [da na na na] satisfaction.
But this is the ordeal that many baby-mamas go through every Sunday, getting less than a half portion of the Word. God’s people are loved by community, encouraged by counseling, but changed by the Word. How do we take better care of those who care for babies? They need more feeding, not less, since they’re probably eating for two.
It was easy in the beginning. I got this! I was worshipping with the congregation as Kobe danced along. Since Living Way wasn’t so crowded, he didn’t get in other people’s way. But still, it was one eye on worship and one eye on Kobe. and no, I couldn’t close my eyes during prayer. no biggie. Then Kobe sat through the announcements and testimony for 10 minutes. Can Kobe last longer? gosh, I wished the sermon came first. Then there was a short intro and reading of the passage. Then 1 minute into the sermon, Kobe couldn’t sit still. I had to take him out.
They had the typical TV and audio right outside the chapel, but the sound sucked. The audio is blaring out of the TV internal speakers, muffled with static. Yes, I could make out what he’s saying, but there’s no pleasant comfort. Churches spend thousands of dollars for the sound system inside the chapel but can’t shell out $50 for an aux speaker from Ebay? it’s freaking ridiculous.
I thought I could drop off Kobe at the nursery so I could go back in the chapel. It was a good nursery, and they even sing songs there, but like other nurseries, there’s no sermon feed there. Anyway, every time I got up to leave, Kobe would start crying, especially since he didn’t know anybody there. I couldn’t leave him. There was another TV set right outside the nursery, and the sound was not as horrible there. However, there were parents sitting there chatting away about ice cream shops. And I didn’t want to be that jerk who says, “Can you guys keep it down? I’m trying to listen.”
So I went back to the area right outside the chapel. 1/3 of the way into the sermon, it was easy to catch up, since I’ve preached on this passage before, and he was going in order. But half the time I’m chasing Kobe around. Now, Kobe wanted milk. I had to go back in the chapel with Kobe to get my bag. We were in there for a minute, and I was sweating just so Kobe wouldn’t be disruptive.
2/3 of the way into the sermon, Kobe decided to go up the stairs. Then for the first time, Kobe started going down all by himself. wow! Now I’m not even listening to the muffled sermon. At the most important part of the sermon, the last 2 minutes, the background music started, and I couldn’t hear a thing. no, nothing wrong with the praise team; it’s the TV speaker sound. I couldn’t even hear how he was bringing it all together.
At the end of the day, with lots of effort, I got the main point of the message. But I missed all the nuances, and that special insight or inspiration that sets a good sermon apart from the average ones. It felt like that rushed meal you get when you’re also feeding your kid. I can’t get no [da na na na] satisfaction.
But this is the ordeal that many baby-mamas go through every Sunday, getting less than a half portion of the Word. God’s people are loved by community, encouraged by counseling, but changed by the Word. How do we take better care of those who care for babies? They need more feeding, not less, since they’re probably eating for two.
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