Sunday, January 25, 2009

Puttin' on My Preachin' Jacket

The other night E walked into the living room and saw my sport coat hanging on the stair rail. He declared, "Daddy, I'm gonna wear your preachin' jacket." "Okay..." I muttered absent-mindedly while trying to unravel one of the universe's most complex mysteries -- how to upload iTunes tracks onto a non-iPod player. [But that's another post for another day.]

"You're going to do what?" I asked, shaking myself from my self-absorbed trance.

"I'm gonna put on your preachin' jacket and preach."

"Okay. Sister and I will come to church with you."

He then put my sport coat on (with a little help from me) and instructed us to go to the nursery where the kids go for church. We sat where he indicated. He then said that he was going to the platform to preach as he ascended the couch at the opposite end of the room. First he played a mean air-guitar and sang a really upbeat tune to lead our worship. Once that was over he said we needed to pray. So he folded his hands and whispered a few words "...in Jesus Christ's name. Amen." Then there was a slow tune played on the air-guitar.

Finally he muttered a few words of exortation and the service ended.

He did it again the following night and this time I had the video camera rolling.

This was a touching first because he was imitating me and that is indeed flattering and challenging. Second, he was reinacting something that at times we are not sure he is benefiting from -- being at church. Lastly, when I was just a little guy like him, I used to conduct church at my Grandma Andy's coffee table and preach, too.

Hmmm...

No comments: