So it was father’s day and youth day at the church today.
Jordan comes in with the rest of the little ones to deliver chocolates and cards to all the men in the congregation. They each carry two chocolates and cards to hand out. Just like on mothers day when Jordan gave me 2 roses instead of one, he give both chocolates and cards to Darryl.
So I take him by the hand and walk him to an elderly gentleman to hand it to him. Jordan resists me. I bend down and tell him: “no Jordan. Daddy has one. Give this to this uncle”. Jordan: “mommy no!! I want to give it to daddy so I can have one later”😇🙄
After the chocolate delivery the little ones are taken up on stage to join the worship team (led by the youth of which Tim is also one of the singers up there today, as he joined the band). They sing a catchy song with actions .
The other little ones are singing and performing the accompanying actions. Even the smallest there with dummy in mouth. 😇
But not Jordan. He has pulled his hoody all the way over his eyes all the way to his top lip and stands like that throughout the performance. 😇🤔
Later when we are home I ask Tim: “You looked really great up there. Although you were the youngest and all the others were matric or post-matric. You did not look like you are 12. Did you enjoy singing?”
Tim: “Yes, how did I sound? Could you hear me?”😎
Me: “You sounded great Tim (although I really could not hear JUST him … but anyway!!!)
Me: “Jordan. Why did you not dance and sing and pull your hoody over you face?”
Jordan: “Because I was sly….” 😂😂 (he means shy)
Chalk and cheese; my teenager loves being in the spotlight and my 4yr old does not want to be seen on stage and hides away. Yet after the service, Jordan runs like a wild child performing top notch in the department of naughtiness and excitement for EVERYONE to witness, not caring who sees him.
And Tim?? He is hiding somewhere in the shadows because : “Jordan is embarrassing.” 😆
And us as parents??
We have to perform daily on the “stage of parenthood”! Non stop, 24/7, whether you have the energy or feel in the mood or not.
And there is no place to hide (except the toilet, although in my household that luxury does not belong to me as the toilets are always occupied by one of the men in my house for lengthy periods at a time) 😶
As I look at the first-time parents today standing in front of the congregation to dedicate their son, in absolute awe and admiration of their angel-faced little darling, all this is running through my mind and I think “this is the beginning of the best performance of their life!!” 😍😇🤔
There will be high notes and low notes. There will be blunders and also moments of great achievement. There will be moments of thunderous applause and times of awkward, uncomfotable silence when they “trip and fall” in their role as a parents that will make them wish they too had a hoody to pull over their face. 😇😇😙
But in the end it is all worth it.
Leave a comment