Sunday Brunch at our House

 

When I was the "Professional Christian" --- a minister getting paid asks others to sacrifice for free --- in charge of a "Steeple" and a Southern Baptist congregation to boot ... I hated Sunday evening service.

Sane churches don't have evening services because members want to enjoy time with their families before returning to work.

Southern Baptist don't care!

There are buildings to build dammit!

Baptists love buildings more than anything!

Sunday evening service provides a second passing of the offering plate.

HELL YEAH WE'RE HAVING SUNDAY EVENING SERVICE!

WE GOT A BUILDING TO BUILD!

Mine was a poor congregation and we already had a building we couldn't fill and I hated Sunday evening service because, in those days, I loved Sixty Minutes ... the same time I'm passing the plate.

So I killed Sunday evening service at our Church, never missing another episode of Sixty Minutes.

Another thing I came to love about Sunday's that often occur during Church is ... Brunch.

I love Sunday Brunch!

Last month Sarah and I decided to bring Sunday Brunch back to our house!

Weekly one of us chooses the fare. Today it's biscuits with sausage gravy, scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, coffee and mimosas.

Che, our 4 year old, will likely ask for chocolate and cheese.

Laurel, our 16 year old, will fit Brunch into her very busy social calendar. Cassidy, our  14 year old, sleepwalks through our family meal unless we're discussing politics then she breaks down the doors to Hell and gridlock in Washington!

Maddie's away at College, actually working at one of her part time jobs while taking care of her boyfriend Henry who's not saying as much these days but we'll all Face Time later.

But we gather and, while it never last very long, it fills me with joyful celebration.

Today though I have things to say when the moments right.

Recently I struggle with absentmindedness, a "Cancer fog" many experiencing the surgery I had struggle with daily. While I'm blissfully unaware, it drives Sarah crazy because I'm suddenly doing strange things, not behaving like she's accustomed. The other night, Laurel also mentioned how "crazy" I've recently gotten.

It's my biggest fear.

I don't want to live as a burden to Sarah and the girls, and sliding towards dementia or Alzheimer's or physically incapable of too many functions.

That'd kill me!

(I crack myself up!)

But I take the time at Brunch to confess it to Sarah and the girls and to thank them, individually, for specific times and things they do making it clear how much I'm loved.

This leads to understated, almost covert, expressions of affections from each at the table.

Sarah, who has it far harder than me with everything she juggles, rubs my leg under the table saying, "That's the worst case but we've reason to believe it can be treated," and the conversation drifts to its end.

While we weren't looking, Che puts on a dress from Frozen and bellows, "LET IT GO! LET IT GO!"

She wants us all to watch it together.

I'm the only one who likes the mimosas so I freshen mine.

Laurel and Cass immediately lock on their phones catching up in the other Universes they're building, 

Sarah does a couple of dozen things at once and I toast my blessings.

I love Sunday Brunch at our house though I don't watch Sixty Minutes any more.