A Season for Everything

Palm Sunday. This is the first one in, oh, something like 15 years, that this family hasn’t been at church……for any amount of time, let alone our previous normal of half the day or more. It feels weird. Church was such a huge part of our lives for a long time. But, you know what? It also feels good to be home.

We’re your typical busy family. Dad works long hours, six days a week. Mom works. The kids have activities, school and the rest. Sunday is the only day of the week we are all home. Our church involvement used to totally kill Sundays. Tim often had to be at the early service as well as the later because of his position as an elder. The kids and I would show up for Sunday school. They would each go to their class, I’d go to mine, and if there wasn’t any business to take care of Tim would join me. During the second service, Tim may or may not have been the worship leader, Matt would either be running sound or working in the nursery and Megan was either helping with children’s church or the nursery. I sat without my family most Sundays. By the time we got done talking with people after church it would be nearly 1:00. Sometimes we’d rush home and I’d make dinner, but usually we’d grab something somewhere. As soon as we’d get home, Tim would collapse across the bed for a nap that usually lasted at least 3 hours. Some Sundays the kids and I never even came home because of youth activities or Bible quizzing. Sunday nights the kids and I had youth group. Once in a while Tim would come too because the church was having an ordinance service or a meeting.

Sundays during our previous church life were exhausting and we barely saw each other. Our lives haven’t really changed, but without church to deal with on Sundays we actually spend time together. I’ve always had a hard time accepting that church leaders, by serving God, often have to short-change their families (even Billy Graham admitted to doing it). I just don’t think it can be what God intended. We’re just working around the house and yard today, but we’re doing it together. We had breakfast together. We’re going to go put flowers on Tim’s parents’ graves and my dad’s grave later…together.

Something else is different, too. Not so long ago even thinking about staying home, let alone doing it, would have caused me great anxiety, stress and guilt. I’m feeling pretty good about it today. I’m working through a lot of things in my heart and mind and I know some of my conclusions will sadden my christian friends, because not so long ago I felt the same way they do……..but those things are fodder for another day. Maybe tomorrow or the next day as I’ve started to read Misquoting Jesus and I’ll be sharing my thoughts on it as I go along, just like I promised Grace.