Communion a la Reece

Today was Reece's first time participating in communion at church. He was very (VERY!) excited about it. I was very (VERY!) nervous, Reece being Reece. I just never know what he might do.

Or say.

So, I spent this past week coaching him on the proper way to receive communion. Now, I don't mean the "why" of taking communion. We've been over that in scripture together and he understands it as much as I think he possibly can for a boy of 7. No, I'm referring to the "how". And I decided it would probably be a good idea (a really, really good idea) to talk to Reece about HOW to go to communion.

"Honey, you're only going to use two fingers to pinch a piece of the bread. Just your two fingers, NOT your entire hand."
"I can't just grab it and get myself a big piece, right Mom?"
"Absolutely not. Just two fingers to pinch off a little piece of bread."
"How big is little, Mom? The size of a marble?" (Reece loves marbles)
"Yes, marble-sized would be good."
"No, it won't be good because maybe I won't remember how big a marble is. The size of my fingernail? Would that be good, Mom?"
"Okay, yes. Fingernail sized. You've seen our piece of bread when we come back to our seats, Reece. Tiny. Just a tiny piece."

Oy vey, how would it all go? It could go either way, Reece being Reece (which was not a comforting thought).

Now naturally, Carl is working on Sundays at this time so he had no worries at all. No, this one was all mine.
Our turn came.
Up we went.
Breath held.
Reece quickly eyed the bread and then....

BOTH hands on deck! Yes folks, he grabbed the bread with BOTH hands. Not only did he "forget" to only use two fingers to pinch off a piece, but he placed BOTH hands on the bread. Swell. Just swell.

The grape juice.
Please don't dump the grape juice.
After manhandling clumsily getting a piece of bread (three times the size of my piece, mind you), Reece's attention turned to the grape juice. He hesitated just long enough to again make me antsy. And I figured out why he hesitated. He was eyeballing the tiny cups to determine which one had the most in it. Yes. He. Did. Too.

I was stifling a giggle (and willing him not to trip and spill his juice in the middle of the aisle) as we headed back to our seats. But it wasn't over yet.
Reece is never really done. He began.

"Look at my piece, Mom. It's bigger than yours. Hahahahaha!"
"Mom, where do they buy these little cups?"
"Hey," (very concerned tone), "this bread doesn't match my shirt. Oh, but it matches yours. Hahahahaha!"
"I hope it doesn't taste rotten. Hey, it tastes like the bread we eat at Udupe."
"Does God know this is grape juice in this little cup?"

And there you have it. He really does understand the link between trusting in Jesus as his Savior and taking communion. Honest (we wouldn't have allowed him to take this next step if we felt he didn't.) But, well,...you have to know Reece.
This is him all the way.
Imaginative.
Talkative.
Inquisitive (one of his favorite thing to do is to watch the show, "How Stuff Works.")

I do believe I might need to bring Alka Seltzer to his baptism someday,...Reece being Reece.

Toni