Ecclesiastical calisthenics

I'd like to revisit a topic that appears here from time to time just long enough to observe:

Yes, dragging all your kids to and through church does get easier/better/more conducive to actual worship over time. I really want to believe that. Sometimes I do believe that.

Then I actually go to church with my kids.

Truth: the wrangling does get better. Six months ago, worship was on many occasions actually worship-full for much of the service. But then sometimes it gets worse again (like, oh, just for instance, if your BabyBoy's toddler personality is defined by incessant and determined motion).

That's all. While these struggles sometimes move us here at CSPP to hymnody and poetry, this morning was just...exhausting.

But don't despair: the evidence shows that despite the many peaks and troughs, the overall trend is upward progress.