By Sarah Damm
My alarm went off early for a Saturday morning, but it wasn’t just any Saturday. It was my twins’ First Holy Communion. I wanted to get a jumpstart on the day, so that I could have a few moments of quiet before the busyness began.
By the time children trickled downstairs, I was ready to attend to their needs, especially Luke and Veronica’s. Their special clothes were set out the night before, and they couldn’t wait to “dress to the nines” for Jesus.
It was hectic for my family of eight to be dressed, fed, and in the van by 9 a.m., and I felt myself getting anxious, as the clock struck 9:05. We were finally on our way, only to hit traffic … on a Saturday. My initial response was to panic.
“We’re going to be late.”
“We’re not going to get a good seat.”
Of course, this didn’t help the situation or anyone’s peace of mind. As my husband tried to calm me down, Veronica spoke up.
“Let’s pray,” she suggested.
How could anyone argue with that?
You see, my kids and I pray every day on the way to school. We begin at the exact spot on the highway where we hit traffic that Saturday morning. So, praying in the van is familiar to my daughter.
As we prayed, we thanked God for the day. We prayed for Luke and Veronica’s First Holy Communion, that it would be the first of many. We offered up the traffic. We took just a few moments to connect with God in the midst of the waiting and stress.
As we ended our prayer, Veronica said, “Now, isn’t that better?” And it was. My anxiety was gone, and lo and behold, so was the traffic.
This wasn’t the first time God spoke to me through one of my children. As parents, we strive so hard to teach them about God, prayer, and our faith. But sometimes, they surprise us, and we realize that they have a lot to teach us, too.
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