Hey mom...Why?

If you are ever in the car with the kids and me you know how the drive(be it short or long) can become one of three things. Either it is "mom make him/her stop",or miles of unstoppable laughter, giggles, jokes and more laughter,or the the mighty "Mom, why did/are/is...?"
This week it is the "Why" moments and then the laughter that makes it hard for me to drive because either I don't want them to know that I am laughing or I am laughing so hard I can't see, OR I am shocked at the conversation taking place. You may not laugh at the following conversations. You may sit there and wonder "wow...what a great conversation". It's your call, but I will say this, I have had the hardest time giving answers and NOT judging! AND...Don't worry, I am not going to the "Wild side".

After a week at church camp(that is in the next blog) and the Wednesday night missions report which included a slide show featuring the "Interlude dance" by all campers, the ride home went something like this.

Makaley: "Mom, why couldn't we do the interlude dance after the video presentation at church tonight. They asked and were told no."
Me: "Hmmmmm could be the instrumental music. Could be the word "dance". Hmmm hello, what do you think?"
Makaley: "But don't people understand that God wants us to enjoy worshiping and praising Him. That is what we were doing...having fun throughout the day. We just wanted to finish out the year with that fun!"
Kauy: Oh, you know. The elders are saving all the fun worship for when the Lord comes again. Then they will dance for joy at His return, then realize what we missed on Earth, and then ask God for just a few moments for the "interlude dance". And to think........they could have done it all this time.

Conversation #2: This one was tougher.Let me set the stage here too. This week, my family will be the ones to go up on the "stage" area to collect the children's offering. No biggie. Well to some it is no biggie, remember.......I am female. Remember.. I don't have a spouse to introduce us...so
Me: Kauy, you will need to introduce our family, talk about the orphanage we are collecting for, and then offer the prayer. Can you do all of that in a nice loud voice?
Kauy: You got it mom.
Makaley: Mom, can't you just introduce us and let him lead the prayer?
Me: No
Makaley: Why?
Me: I am female.
Makaley: No, your kidding. Seriously mom, why?
Me: I am female.
Makaley: Okay, you mean you can't even say "Hi, We are the Ostliens?" What if Kauy forgets can you prompt him? Seriously mom? It's okay for the girls to lead the prayer in our Bible classes. It's okay for girls to lead songs in Bible Class. Teachers all my life have asked girls to do both in class. Seriously? What if a little girl decides to say AMEN at the end of the prayer while her family is up there?" (On a side note..she was getting a little lively and the pitch of her voice rose here. It truly bothered her that I couldn't introduce our family and she might not be able to say AMEN..which we teach our 3,4 and 5 year olds to say in Bible Class.)
Me: That is not my call. I respect the decision of the elders even if I don't always agree.
Makaley: Mom, this is crazy. It's not like you're preaching.
At this point I started the sermonette that has always been presented to me when I ask "why" concerning this church topic. And I ended with my soap box invitation(which I would never offer to give on a Sunday morning) that no one else hears. Maybe husbands and wives should work together in the Bible classes of our young instead of just the wives! They(males) need to be in there to lead, guide, and teach. Until then, the younger generation of females that are growing into adult women, are going to question because the majority of the Bible class teachers are....women.
And, as one of those female Bible Class teachers, I often forget(well, forget is a good word for now) to include the lesson about about women's roles in the church, authority over men(Eve was a help mate), and all those other lessons that are not in the book of Genesis(which is what I have always taught with two women).
I would probably stroke out if a woman led the song service,the prayer, preached, or served the Communion. However....."Hi, we are the Ostlien family". I get her point there!
And I think she got mine. Well, maybe she just agreed so I would quit preaching. Preaching....the thing a mom does best!