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 Earth, The Modest Mom, What 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 Season, A 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 Survival, Good Morning Mondays, The HomeAcre Hop, Mommy Moments Link Up, Grace and Truth Linkup, Faith Filled Friday, Saturday Soiree Blog Party, Tell It To Me Tuesdays