Adventurer Induction

Happy Sabbath 

Today is such a wonderful day to finish off what was to me a nonsense week.  Today my son was inducted in the Adventurer group at church.  Despite having his uniform not completely set up correctly, him coughing complaining that he needed to go to the hospital because he was coughing so much, and me messing up on the piano playing the theme song despite being so confident, the highlight was seeing him complete the ceremony and sit with a Pathfinder for the entire service.  I sat in the back of the church anxious of course waiting for something to go horribly wrong, but he stayed pretty much in one place, didn’t do what he did two days prior which I’ll talk about, and didn’t pee or vomit on himself.  Each family went up with their child and had their child write their name on the altar, take a candle, and pledge to be there to support their children on their journey with Jesus. 

For earlier this week, Sunday we had the farm trip which was splendid.  We walked a trail and saw beautiful plants and creatures and came upon a path that smelled like chewing gum (possibly licorice plants some where, not sure).  We saw a waterfall, butterflies, identified different types of plants/habitats, and were able to pet a cat-bird that a worker was trying to save.  My son was feeling still sick on Sunday but I expected the egg from the Rita’s water ice to wear off that day. He was sick from the custard on the water ice he had back on the previous Thursday.   It was a long drive but a wonderful outing and time to appreciate God’s creation. 

On Monday moving forward, the challenges started.  I started feeling sick at work and after throwing up, ended up leaving an 1.5 hours early.  When I retrieved my son and returned home, I was a mess.  My son followed my directions and really helped me through it because the last time I had a stomach virus, I was perhaps 5 or 6 years old and throwing up everywhere.  I took paid time off on Tuesday and Wednesday, I returned to work.  Thursday I embarrassed myself at work, not thinking clearly through the process.  Friday, I went to see my first appointment for them not to answer the door.  I went to my second to meet with someone else who was coming and the person we were going to meet was not at the building.  The first appointment called me and I decided to turn back and meet with them because there was no way to reach the second one (who knows where they were). 

On Thursday afternoon, I completed my work and spent time with my son.  He was tired but I held him and we talked about school and other fun things he did that day.  I treated him to ice cream and soon after the nightmare began.  He began acting like a baby and was breaking stuff and when I tried to have him go to bed, he had a horrible melt down that would make anyone in ear range think I was harming him and want to call the police.  I decided to take him over to my parents and he continued screaming and behaving badly.  He finally went to sleep there and I was going to stay but I couldn’t take hearing my dad talk about my parenting through the walls and I’m not able to sleep in a proper place.  I decided to go home without him and return in the morning.  On Friday morning, I came back to hear that soon after I left that night, a girl was fighting her boyfriend outside of the house.  I guess because there is a forest across the street and low lighting, people like to stop their cars to duke it out right there, I don’t know.  She was screaming for someone to help so my mother called the police and strangely enough when they came and they arrested her (perhaps she had drugs on her).  The boyfriend they said was just let out of jail, but he was permitted to drive the car to follow the cops, despite hitting her and doing who knows what else.    When I came back from the cancellation/switch up at work to get my son, he was acting up yet again and my older sister was there.  She shared some bad news about her job and I think there were some other announcements. 

Monday through Friday, nothing went right.  I didn’t even have an opportunity to go to the grocery store, deposit a mileage check, or pay bills I planned to pay early.  I can add a bunch of other things to the problem list, including fungus gnats that continue to attack my plants despite different insectides and DIY treatments I’ve been trying.  So much has happened, but I am so happy that I was able to walk out with my son as an Adventurer today at church. 

I remember sitting in my old church seeing baby dedications wanting to go up with my child (unborn at the time) and my husband and doing everything the right way.  That church didn’t have an adventurer group, but there were youth activities available and children went to a neighboring church for those types of things. 

When I had my son, I went to my current church in search of something that would feed him spiritually and the first day I went, there was a Pathfinder event taking place during the service.  I could have gone to a different church.  God has such perfect timing. 

I pray that we continue to go and I will be a good mother and child of God.  I pray that he learns more than just songs.  I want him to have a good relationship with Jesus.  I am the only person pushing for this out of the people who surround him each day and he has a small circle.   

Jesus is the only way we both can make it.