The "Miracle" Bagel!!!

OH my son, my son....I love him but man can he be a challenge, and a blessing all in the same day! I have started taking him to Mass EVERYDAY, bc he seems to think that church is the ONE PLACE he can be on his worst behavior, and mommy and daddy cant really do anything about it until afterwards. Yes, he is that child screaming" dont spank my hieny". as he is being dragged out of Mass. Yes, he is that child banging his feet on the pew during the Consecretion. and Yes he is even that child who sings "Thomas and Friends" during the homily. He slams kneelers, stands on the pew, runs up the aisle, and all of this in an hours time!! SO to fix his behavior, I decied to take him EVERYDAY until he learns, CHURCH IS FOR PRAYING, and if you arent praying, you are going to be respectful of the people who are.

Now I must admit, today my son made me laugh!! He has been behaving better, and rewarded with a few trips out for breakfast after a good morning in Mass. Today he was a little bit bouncy, which he fully admits to now. After Mass, I asked my mom if she would like to go get a bagel. Max said he would like "pampakes", as he calles them, and I informed him that bc of his behavior he was coming but not allowed to get anything. SO we sat down, and I went to order and when I only came back with only 2 cups, Max asked the obvious question: Where is my cup?". Now Im not a mean mom, I had ordered him a blueberry bagel, is favorite, but I was going to enusre that he learned something here. I then explained that "mommy and nonna behaved in Church and therefore we get breakfast, and that bc you couldnt behave mommy didnt get you anything" Well, the water works burst open and he just sobbed and sobbed and sobbed somemore. He couldnt believe that I didnt get him anything, was just heartbroken, which of course i said " I bet next time you will behave in church".

Well, our food comes and Max's Blueberry bagel is placed in front of him, and his draw DROPS in disbelief. I said" Mommy didnt order that for you, it must be Jesus". I said " Maybe Jesus is trying to tell you that He knows you can behave in church and wants you to remember to ask Him for help when you get restless and cant sit still...did you say 'thank you' to Jesus?'. Max inquisitively asked " where does Jesus live?" I said " IN your heart...did you thank HIM?". HE said I did in my heart"... Now thinking that I have TOTALLY won this battle...I settled down to eat my Bagel with the smile of VICTORY on my lips.

to which max responded " but I told Him I would have been happier with pampakes"...oh my son!!!