Monday, March 2, 2015

My Ungodly Struggle to Get My Family Ready for Church (And How it Became A Godly Struggle)



Warmth pulsing through my body, I struggled to put on some makeup before church. 

Suddenly, the back door opened, right near the bathroom where I was standing haggardly in front of the mirror.

My brother-in-law had opened it, and the wild crisp wind bit through my woolen sweater.

And I was sweating; the air felt so wonderful. I thought longingly of the icy winter chill and half-seriously contemplated running outside and jumping into one of those great snowbanks heaped in our backyard. 

So. hot. And my layered turtleneck beneath the thick wool of my sweater was beginning to overwhelm me. 

Why did I think that it would be a good idea to wear high-heels again (even if they were perennial Misses "I Love Comfort " brand?) when I had to carry an 8-month old on my hip whilst balancing a diaper bag, a handbag, and a two-year-old in the other hand? 

I was already tottering.

And the smoke was beginning to rise from my unrighteous nostrils.

Elisha, tucked into his little car behind me, began to make shrieking noises -- apparently, I was taking a little too long putting on the makeup. 

I could hear little Debbie puttering about in the kitchen -- oh dear -- running around the kitchen and the chaos was beginning to close in around me on this fine Sunday morning -- day of rest, day of peace and tranquility and holiness and oh wait--

"Debbie, be gentle to Mr. P. !" (my sister's half-crippled pug.)

"I am being gentle, Mommy," she answers, as I see Mr. P. nervously scoot to the other side of the room. 

"Can I have some orange juice, please?"

"We don't have orange juice, Debbie-" (interject Elisha's shrieking) "Mommy has to buy some at the store tomorrow."

Oh, why did I wear a woolen sweater???

My husband comes down the stairs, three different ties hanging over his arm. 

"Which one should I wear with the outfit you picked out for me?

(Elisha shrieking)

Debbie running around the kitchen table, pausing to happily remove the shoes I had just put on her feet for church.

"Anything! Anything matches!" Exasperation gets the better of me after the stress of trying to organize everyone, everything and somehow do it in time for church -- and later in the van as we drive for 20 minutes, I have a chance to catch my breath before the next flurry of activity.

This is not what I want my Sunday morning to look like. 

This is not how I want my children to think of Sunday mornings -- as chaotic times of haze before we rush into the car for church and sit sheepishly in the pew. 

We have very little children; there will be some chaos -- there is no way to ensure that everything will run smoothly on a Sunday morning. 

But I want my family's "struggle" to get ready for church, to get ready for worship, to be a Godly struggle -- and I want my struggle to be a Godly one as well. Not a frustrated, overwhelmed, burdened struggle that I later need to repent of. 

And these are some practical things that the Lord has laid on my heart that have helped to turn the ungodly struggle into a Godly one. 

And before the "practical" comes in, we have to realize that the root is a heart issue -- a "mood" issue -- and, as Oswald Chambers says, "moods go by kicking." 

And moods go by surrendering and submitting and trusting in the One who created little children and Sunday mornings and who gives us the grace to overcome and to hold on to His joy through the struggle of it all. 

So here they are -- helpful to me, and maybe to someone else, too:


  • Prepare clothing the night before -- this includes ironing -- and lay out each family members' outfits for the next day.
  • Wash hair, take showers, baths, etc. the night before. Minimize the amount of time spent in the bathroom on Sunday morning.
  • Remind children that Sunday is a special day, a set-apart day. Make Sunday "Special" in the way that you talk about it as a family -- as something that is exciting and delightful, not a burden or another "item " on an already-overflowing schedule.
  • Keep Sunday activities to a minimum. Focus on spending time worshiping the Lord, with other believers, etc. Emphasize the importance of this to your children. 
  • Wake up a little earlier than usual on Sunday morning to ensure a little bit of extra time to get ready.
  • Pack the diaper bag the night before as well as changes of clothes, books, snacks, etc. and put these together near the door. 
  • When things don't flow smoothly, laugh, pray, and do the best you possibly can to get the family to church on time. Don't panic; pray. 


These are practical steps that have helped us as a family. Sunday mornings usually go more smoothly when we put them into practice. It will never go perfectly -- and that's where His grace comes in. No matter how "prepared" we are, there will always be disturbances, distractions, interruptions, diapers that need to be changed at the last minute, and cranky toddlers. 

But He gives His grace. And as we seek Him and pray to Him and ask Him to fill our hearts with thankfulness, He will transform our Sunday mornings. And our ungodly struggle will become a place of praise to show forth His glory.  



You might find me on these link-ups:

Strangers and Pilgrims on EarthThe Modest MomWhat Joy is Mine, Yes They Are All Ours, Missional Call, A Mama's Story, Mom's the Word, Rich Faith Rising, Time Warp Wife, Cornerstone Confessions, Mom's Morning Coffee, So Much at Home, Raising Homemakers, Hope in Every SeasonA Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Ministries, Whole-Hearted Home, A Soft Gentle Voice, My Daily Walk in His Grace, Messy Marriage, My Teacher's Name is Mama, The Charm of Home, Graced Simplicity, Children Are A Blessing, Mittenstate Sheep and Wool, Imparting Grace, Preparedness Mama, A Look at the Book, Essential Thing Devotions, Count My Blessings, Beauty Observed, Christian Mommy Blogger, Renewed Daily, Soul SurvivalGood Morning MondaysThe HomeAcre HopMommy Moments Link UpGrace and Truth LinkupFaith Filled FridaySaturday Soiree Blog PartyTell It To Me Tuesdays

27 comments:

  1. This is great Rebekah, you are so not alone on this one, but thank you for sharing your heart and how God has helped you to ease the stress. I find that getting up early helps and having the clothes sorted the night before. Thank you for being such an open and honest encourager. Blessings

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, you're welcome, Terri! Yes; laying out the clothes the night before has especially made such a difference; the morning becomes much less chaotic and I can focus more on the children rather than on putting outfits together at the last minute! Thank you for stopping by and for your encouragement; God bless you, Terri.

      Delete
    2. Thanks for linking up at Good Morning Mondays Rebekah and for sharing your heart with us . Blessings

      Delete
  2. Your story reminds me of the story Mom told us about taking five of us to church. We were all so nicely dressed and sitting quietly in the pew. Mom looked down at her feet and realized she had her house slippers on. She said she just shoved them under the pew. You have to laugh and go on. It will get better and the time spent to get ready is so worth it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Vickie, your story made me laugh! I've never gone out with my slippers but HAVE gone out with just one earring on :-). Ahh, those memorable moments of motherhood. :-) Thank you for visiting and sharing that story with me. :-)

      Delete
  3. We have similar aged children and have seen Sunday mornings like this!
    One tip I'd add (and I'll need to take on more of yours too!) is to actually pray before the scramble starts for God's grace and peace in the process.
    There may still be chaos but I have found God to be faithful and I get to hop onto the car thanking God for His help this morning!
    Blessings! Your posts always convict and encourage me!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Adelaide, thank you for your encouragement. You are so right--to bring it to the Lord in prayer before the chaos begins covers the whole situation with His grace and puts the focus where it should be--on Him, not even on "getting ready." I want my focus to be on Him . . . through the struggle . . . thank you for adding that insight. God bless you!

      Delete
  4. I remember those days! It is hard to see Sunday as a day of rest when there is so much to do and so much chaos doing it! We also play peaceful, worshipful music on Sundays. It is like a background prayer! Another is for each child to have their Sunday backpack - packed the day before, this way I was only carrying for the baby of the family, not the toddler and preschooler as well!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wonderful ideas! I love the idea of each child having a "Sunday backpack." I'd like to incorporate something like that as my children get older. Thank you for stopping by and for your ideas!

      Delete
  5. Love this!! I often feel chaotic getting ready for church! These are very helpful tips and your reminder about what really matters on Sunday morning is a message we all need! Great post! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Haley! I'm glad that the post was an encouragement. Thank you for stopping by; God bless you! :-)

      Delete
  6. Oh boy this brings back memories! : ) I remember once being so stressed out one morning, then finally getting to church to find out something special was going on in the service and the childcare was full (I had 3 little ones at the time) and there was no where to sit in the sanctuary! We just turned around and drove 20 minutes back home. I think I cried all the way.

    You gave some great tips to make Sunday mornings a bit easier! I remember those crazy mornings (my kids are grown now) I was always glad when we made it to church. I felt better once I could focus on the Lord there. : )



    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cathy, I know what you mean! I want to be able to focus on worshipping the Lord during the service and not be overwhelmed by the chaos of the morning! It is so difficult sometimes with young children; I'm thankful that the Lord is gracious!

      I am glad that you stopped by; God bless you, Cathy! :-)

      Delete
  7. Great post! I remember those chaotic Sunday mornings when my sons were young. I wish I had turned them more into a time or prayerfully preparing for the Sabbath rather than letting the craziness consume me. Thank you for the practical ideas!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're welcome, Mary! I understand what you mean--it is so easy to let the craziness take over (how well I know)! Thank you for sharing your struggle with me; it is encouraging to know that others have gone through the same difficulties and that the Lord is gracious . . .God bless you.

      Delete
  8. Rebekah, these are great suggestions, even without little ones at home! Thanks for linking up at Mondays @ Soul Survival. May all your Sundays go smoothly! Blessings!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Donna!! I'm glad that the suggestions were helpful! Blessings to you, also! :-)

      Delete
  9. Great suggestions! I often feel like a drill sergeant in the mornings (really every morning, not just Sunday), getting everyone up, fed, dressed and out the door with whatever assorted baggage we need for the day - whether getting to school, work or church. It's an effort to get a family ready in the morning - but always so worth it to get the family to church!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kathryn, I know what you mean about sounding like a drill sergeant! :-) You are so right; it is always worth it to make the extra effort to get the family to church. Thank you for stopping by; have a blessed weekend. :-)

      Delete
  10. Yes... we've had days like this too! There are always so many things to be done or gotten before heading out the door. Thanks for the tips!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're welcome, Bonnie! Thank you for stopping by; have a wonderful weekend! :-)

      Delete
  11. I recognize that Sunday morning! It has always been the shoes that have been the little foxes trying to destroy our vines. We're down from 5 to 2 now (boys) - and it is much smoother, more peaceful. Still, the shoes . . .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes; it's always the shoes!! :-) Just when you think that everyone is ready to get into the car/van! Thank you for stopping by; God bless you and your family!

      Delete
  12. Great thoughts! I've also found it really important to pack my "church bag" the night before. And despite our best intentions (and living about 5 minutes away from our church) we are still late. Often. Even when it's clear that we're not going to make it on time I still try to keep calm and cheerful, instead of yelling and stressing all the way to the chapel doors. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jenny, thank you so much for those thoughts . . . you are so right--it makes such a difference when I keep my mind fixed on the Lord even in the midst of the chaos--and try to prepare as much as possible (but even that doesn't ensure that everything will go smoothly). I'm so glad that you stopped by; God bless you. :-)

      Delete
  13. Yes! Sometimes we simply need some practical wisdom to help our crazy times be godly times. Thanks for these thoughts and for linking with Grace and Truth.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're welcome, Arabah! I'm glad that the Lord is so patient and continually teaches me. I'm glad that you visited; God bless you! :-)

      Delete