I pastor a small local church in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.  It’s a relaxed kind of church where you’re warmly welcomed and then offered a delicious fresh brewed cup of premium coffee or tea.  Seating is relaxed as well, sit where you want and if you are a parent with small kids, we have a special place for you.  Round tables are spread across the back of our auditorium laden with colouring books, pencil crayons, crayons, Kleenex tissues, etc. These specially marked tables are designed for families with kids and all the baggage that goes with taking your kids anywhere, stroller, diaper bags, toy bags, snack bags, etc.

Each Sunday, while the band plays songs and the gathered church sings and worships along, the kids are running around like crazy.  They are rolling around together, wrestling, tripping, spilling drinks and crackers, bumping their heads on the table edge, or standing and staring at all the other crazy kids.  When a song has an extra ‘kick’ to it, some kids hold hands and dance around to the music.  Adults who want a refill on their coffee need to tread carefully as they navigate through the maze of little ones at the back.

One of my favourite things to do while all this chaos is going on, is to entertain and confuse the kids.  I have this laser pointer in my hand that is mostly used for advancing the power point slides while I’m teaching or sharing.  Standing at the back while the chaos is going on, I point the laser pointer light in front of a child or two, just enough to get their attention.  They have no idea where it is coming from, they think it is only right there in front of them.  First they stare at it, then look at mom or dad and point to the little green lit up dot.  An sure enough, every single time they will try and reach down and touch it with their finger or stomp on it with their foot.  I’m too fast for them, I move the light and make them chase it.  You guessed it, just like getting a cat to chase a laser pointer, it works just as brilliantly on small children.  The kids are so easily distracted and are so much fun to watch.

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