Sunday morning was funny. I had a look at "the other half" while sitting just outside the doors to our little mission at a table. My daughter A was acting up in the service, so I took her into the other room.
A little background on our little girl. She's one. 9:30 is nap time. 10:00 is Liturgy. You can see the problem that would arise from the collision of the two. We try to get her up early on Sunday (6:30ish) to put her down for an early nap (8:15-:30ish) and then get on the road by 9:30 to be there by the end of the Hours and the beginning of Liturgy. Around the Homily the little one gets restless, and it's usually Daddy who entertains her while Momma (who is incubating #2) can sit through the rest of the service. (We usually change an incredible amount of diapers in this 2hr period.)
The aside being completed, the little girl and I were sitting at a table in the hall/narthex trying to pay attention. While we were sitting, she started to eat cheerios from her little cup. Another little girl was sitting across from us with her mom. They're Orthodox. Keep in mind, we aren't yet. Little girl, probably 3 years old (at the most) points out that my little girl is eating cheerios. It's actually really cute, because she really needs her mommy to see that the other little girl gets to eat (and I assume that the extension is, how come I can't eat). Her mom whispers in her ear - she informs her little girl that because we aren't Orthodox, we don't have to fast on Sundays, because we aren't taking communion.
I'm comfortable being where we on our journey. I believe that God is directing us, and we're following His guidance as best we can. I'm not trying to rush anything. In matter of fact, we're very contended where we are, waiting for guidance before we move any further in. Not yet a catechumen. Really not much of an anything. But we're there to worship. We're there to offer our praises to a living God who loves us and saved us from sin. Lord, have mercy on us and bring us safely to the harbor.
Reading this blog has helped me out a bit. I'm a college student who found his way to Holy Orthodoxy after a long three years of studying philosophy and Western theology. I began to attend an Antiochian parish this summer, and I attended services regularly for almost four months straight, but unfortunately the aforementioned parish is located in my home-town, which is four hours away from where I attend school. The closest parish to my university is two hours away, and I do not have the means to afford transportation, so I suppose I will have to wait.
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