Saturday, July 21, 2012

Comfort Foods

Oh, they tell us not to give a kid a cookie to cheer him up.  They say it's bad to find comfort in food.  Depressed?  Don't you dare have a bowl of ice cream.  In a cranky mood?  Don't find your solace in making your favorite supper.  M&M's when life seems overwhelming?  Shame on you.

BAH.  Humbug.

Personally, I like taking comfort from comfort foods.

But then you get older.  Pizza may make your mouth happy and lift your spirits.  But your stomach says, "Excuse me?  Pizza?  It's 9:30 in the evening, you fool!"  Snickers make you feel better for 10-20 minutes, but then you pay for it later.

So where do you find comfort when you know that you really really really ought to exercise self-control, and not have that rum&coke, not have that 8 oz bag of candy bars, or not have that third slice of pizza?  (Did I say "third"?   Uh... I meant "second."  Well, no.  I meant "first."  Shoot.  You're never going to believe me, are you?)

The chocolate cookies on the counter are calling my name.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

"Hey, Pastor!'

Alia has been leery around Pastor.  He has a beard; she doesn't like beards.  She knows enough of her catechism to recite and get several stars on the chart.  But she won't do it.  Today (again!) Katie thought she might.  But no.  Alia didn't want to talk to Pastor.  He tried engaging her, playing around a bit, but no, she would alternately giggle and cry. 

And then, when the stroller was packed up and Katie was headed out the door, she started with, "Hey, Pastor!"  He was trying to do several things at the moment, as well as trying to talk to the organist about one thing and the secretary about another.  But Alia persisted in a quiet little voice, "Hey, Pastor!  Hey!  Pastor!!"  I flagged him down and pointed to the child. 

She began prattling on to him about going to the library, that they were having a picnic-storyhour today, and they had blankets that Nanna gave them.  He asked about what they were eating, and she talked to him about that.  Pretty soon, the conversation ended, and Alia left with a smile.

She didn't recite today.  But she had a conversation with Pastor.  This is a happy thing!