Lighting the candle

After spending all day Saturday at church we headed back for Sunday service.  Jynx had signed up to serve after Church so sleeping in was not an option.  Little Man may have been a big disappointed when we pulled into the church parking lot and the big bounce house was gone, all that was left was trampled grass as a reminder of what had happened the day before.  We sat down and one of the ushers came up to me and asked if Little Man and I could lite the candles since there were no other kids there.  I think they had worn them all out the day before.  So, I had to agree but I was still hoping another kid would show up.  The first song started and not another kid in the place so I carried Jame and the fancy candle lighter we walked to the front but little man was nervous about putting his hand on the lighter, usually he wants to grab everything.  He watched with wonder and fascination in his eyes as I lit the candle then he ever so gently placed one hand on the lighter as we began to lite the candles.  I had not lite the candles since my youth and that was a long time ago.  After lighting the candles I snuffed the lighter placed little man on the ground and handed him the lighter, he grabbed it and we headed back the usher met us and took the lighter.  It was then that I realized the entire church was quiet, everyone was just watching little man, just then one person clapped and it was soon followed by applause from the entire church.  The minister stood up and said sometime you just can't rush moments.
During the church service they usually have a children's message and kids are invited up to the front.  Last week another kid took little man up and he just sat there happy to be with all the kids.  Sunday it was little man and one other child that had come late, so mommy took him up to the front for the children's message.  Once again he sat there on mommy's lap and listened and even got a piece of candy.
At the end of the service the minister stepped forward and said "I'm going to put Roger and Jame on the spot."  Uh oh, little man had fallen asleep during the sermon and had been resting comfort ably on my shoulder ever since.  I was planning on handing him off to his Grandpa Jim as soon as the service was done so I could help Jynx serve.  "You see Jame is sleeping on his fathers shoulder because he trust and loves him."  the ministers normal steady voice began to crack and my eyes began to water.  "Now if we could all trust and love our father in heaven like that, then one day we will be able to snuggle up on his shoulder and relax in the knowledge that he loves us."   It was beautiful and a great way to end the service, but now I couldn't just turn around and hand off little man.