annie blog

The Definition of Perfunctory

| 3 Comments

The Definition of Perfunctory

Tonight, we went for our weekly dinner at the church’s parish hall. We ate grilled meats and chips and summery foods. After the meal and a little singing, we split into groups. The young kids break in to classes and the older youth and adults remain together for a lecture and discussion session.

I really like getting together with folks from church in the middle of the week. In the church of my girlhood, we had a Wednesday night fellowship supper. I remember really liking that, too.

So, back to tonight.

My two oldest boys stay with me for the adult/youth session. We watch a video and then have a question and answer session with all of the people who stay for the lesson.

Usually this is when my oldest son, J, zones out. He doesn’t listen to the video. He doesn’t listen to the discussion. He goes to J world inside his head and he stays put there until I reel him back to reality.

So, today, I told him that I wanted him to pay attention and have one relevant thing to write down after the video and discussion were over.

The pens and paper were passed around.
J busily wrote for a minute and then put the cap on his pen.
Though the class was not over he decided to visit the bathroom. He handed his piece of paper to me as he passed.

Just so you know, the message of the video and discussion had been about Resurrection and Hope.

J had written, God, you’re the greatest.

My son N and I read it as J ambled away. We tried not to laugh too hard.

What a way to cover it all. He found a way to not listen and still write something to get him off the hook.

J is such a buster.

3 Comments

Leave a Reply to Annie H. Cancel reply

Required fields are marked *.