Internal Conflict

Two Lucy stories:

1 - She requested some chocolate milk with afternoon snack one day last week, and I asked what kind of milk she had for lunch at school. (I only let them have chocolate milk once a day, white milk the other times). Her response..."Well, I try to ask for white milk at school, but my voice always says chocolate".

2 - During mass, the children all have the opportunity to walk up to the front and put their offering in a basket, which is held by an alter server. I usually have weekly envelopes ready for Kilian and Lucy to write their names on and put a dollar bill or so in.

However, last Sunday I forgot the envelopes, so we just gave each of them some quarters to drop in. Apparently this threw Lucy off...she thought it should be money for her piggy bank.

I whispered that it was time for her to go give the money to God. She walked up to the front with tears starting to flow. She covered her face with one arm and stood in front of the basket, in front the entire church, now sobbing. I could see several people laughing at her dilemma. Kilian was already back to our pew at this point. I guess that sadness turned to anger as she raised her arm to throw the coins, not in the basket, but on the floor - then stopped herself. (I'm holding my breath now!) She finally let them go over the basket.

She cried even harder as she walked back to us, so I met her in the aisle and took her to the restroom to calm down. She recovered and did well for the rest of the service. Whew!