I've Got Your Back

Mommy sang a solo at church on Sunday. The choir nearly takes the summer off. It was the new pastor's first Sunday. So the choir director asked if Mommy would possibly be here visiting and would she sing. That was a "yes" to both questions.

That meant that Daddy-O and I sat with the little girls during the service. He got Little Sister, who has lovely church manners. I got Baby Girl, who is not experienced in morning worship yet. At her church, she goes to the children's program. Now understand, we survived. She was quiet. Sort of. I told someone afterwards I think I could have managed "still" or "quiet"—but not both. Quiet was what we aimed for.

Soon after the service started, there was a stage whisper. "I think my tummy is hungry." I explained that we were having communion soon and she would get a bite of bread and some juice. "Grape juice?" "Yes." And the promise of that took care of her hunger. Fidgety, we didn't do so well with. There was lots of moving about. (We sat in a corner where we didn't bother many people.) On my lap. Off my lap. Open the hymn book. Close the hymn book. While I was trying to sing.

Because it was the first Sunday for our new young pastor, we were asked to wear name tags. "I want a name plate!" I wrote out names for all of us and Baby Girl got her "name plate." These didn't stick too well and I soon gave up worrying with them.

Midway through the service, just as we were starting the communion liturgy, a gentleman slid into the pew behind us and whispered to me, "I was sent over here to tell you that you've got a name tag on your back." I felt all over my shoulders. Down my back as far as I could reach. No name tag. Again. "There is a name tag on your back." Then it dawned on me. I felt WAY down my "back" to the part I was sitting on.  And I felt a name tag. It had Baby Girl's name printed on it.

I gave a grateful smile and a nod to the wife across the aisle who had sent her husband to warn me before I walked up to the altar for communion with my rear end labeled. Can you imagine the snickers if I had not removed it? I whispered and asked Baby Girl if she had put it there. She gave me the biggest grin.

Now to be honest, I don't know if she put it there. (Although the location was about the height where she might have stuck it.) Or if I sat on it after it fell off her dress. But I am happy to know that I have a friend who's got my back. When someone else had "gotten to my back" first!