Ruthie needed to be picked up from Art Camp and instead of coming along for the ride Nora asked to be dropped off at Adoration. As we were heading to pick Nora up Ruthie asked if we could go in, too.
Now Ruthie definitely had an ulterior motive, but I liked that she was willing to give me a few moments at Adoration. Now Nora had come out to meet us but I told her we were going back in – so we all go in, take a long slow genuflect, and we each get a chair and kneel on the kneeler. Immediately Ruthie asks to light a candle. I whispered to her “Not today” and I close my eyes and get half of a prayer in before I start being poked in the butt repeatedly by Ruthie who keeps asking me to light a candle. I try to ignore her and I finish my one prayer which included laughing to myself that I was *almost* able to keep “A Holy Minute”.
I sit back and look in my wallet. If lighting a candle was meant to be then God would provide me with a $5 bill. Because God always provides, I had a $5 bill. Everyone a bit too eagerly stops their prayers and we go up to the front to light a candle.
I asked if anyone wanted to put the money in the collection box. No takers. Which is funny since last time they fought about this job. But they are smart and also remembered that whoever put the money in wasn’t allowed to light the candle — since each person got to do one job. Eventually Mabel does it while also saying she wants to light the candle.
Last time I thought I gave Ruthie what she wanted because I let her light the candle. But I was wrong. Last time Mabel was in tears because she wasn’t allowed to light the candle and then Ruthie was in tears because I didn’t allow her to do all of the steps of lighting the candle.
This time I let Ruthie pick out the stick, light the stick in the flame of another candle, pick out our candle, light that candle and put the stick back in the sand. She was content and did not cry. Meanwhile Mabel insisted on doing it too and so I held her hand as she held the stick and she did all of the same steps as Ruthie — except she got to light a candle that was already lit. Nora watched all this and was trying to chime in that the candle was already lit so what was Mabel actually doing? But I ignored her because she must not have remembered the disaster that was last time we did this — and that to avoid tears one must avoid logic even if that means you have to let a kid light a lighted candle.
Congratulations to me – No one cried!
Having accomplished all of the praying that she wished to do, Ruthie departed and so did Mabel. I returned to a chair for a handful of seconds to “finish” praying (hard to have a finish when you don’t really have a start… but lets avoid using logic here again). Nora graciously took the girls out to the Narthex and lifted them up so they could bless themselves in the Baptismal/Holy Water Font which they love doing.
As I got up from my 10 second prayer the one other person who was in the room spoke. He had been in the back corner quietly sitting and praying and observing. “Good job, Mom” he said. “Beautiful. Beautiful.” he continued. And I put my hand on my heart and said “Thank you” as I welled up with tears (which I’m doing again now as I type this) and I walked out of the Chapel.
He simply spoke just five words but they were such beautiful words. They were words I didn’t know I needed to hear, but once I heard them I felt such emotion –I don’t even know what this emotion is actually but it’s one that moves me to happy tears. It’s like being seen when you didn’t realize you needed to be seen or like being comforted when you didn’t realize you needed to be comforted.
It was only A Holy Minute, but in that minute I experienced a really moving love that a stranger was willing to share with me. I appreciate(d) the kindness, the kind words, and the beauty of how God works in the world.
On the way out of Church, Mabel stopped at the Mary statue for Unborn Children and asked for me to take a picture of her. I had Nora go to the car and get my phone. When she came back I had everyone get in the picture — because I have been so blessed to have 3 beautiful blessings which were long sought answers to many, many prayers and I am grateful to God for them and it hurts to know there are many children who don’t get a chance to live and create Holy Minutes such as these.
Naturally that feeling could only last a few seconds because Ruthie stopped cooperating, Nora is rather large so had to try to go behind the statue which inspired Ruthie to then go behind the statue. Nora then didn’t like the company so came back around to the front. All the while Mabel just sat still, waiting for me to take the picture of her she requested.
In the end I got the photo, but it isn’t “perfect” (whatever that means) — But it does perfectly reflect the ups and downs of life and emotions that can happen in a moment — and just reaffirms that sometimes you just have to avoid logic and embrace the Holy Minute.
PS. Yes, Ruthie is in the photo. You can see a sliver of her shirt behind Mary. And Mabel must have given up wanting a photo since her smile went away as she waited for her sisters’ shenanigans to end.
Give God Your Yes 