My Facebook status today is “I love Sundays.  Love ‘em!”, and I really do mean that.  From the moment I wake up on Sunday mornings, things are just different.  Generally, I am the first one to rise and shine here in the Westie abode, and I really like to take that time to sip my coffee and turn on the television to listen a good sermon in an effort to prepare my heart for the day.  I will usually poke around the internet for greetings from those excited to fellowship with the Lord and other brothers and sisters, too, as the Crew wakes up and gets moving.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all bliss.   Inevitably, there will be lost shoes, mismatched or wrinkled clothes 5 minutes before we are to walk out the door, or any other form of chaos that you could conjure up in your imagination that follows a big family trying to make it to church intact.  But, there is a sweet feeling that I think God gives to His children, despite all of that, knowing that we are about to enter into the sacred obedience of corporate worship.

I love my church family.  There is nothing more beautiful than being able to walk into a place knowing that you are yours are welcomed, needed, and treasured as part of that body.  It’s the way He intended it, afterall.  I love concentrating in prayer for brothers and sisters in Christ without the distractions of everyday life.  I love listening to the Word of God being taught and voices being lifted for His glory and honor.  I love watching the children from the oldest to the tiniest knowing that they are part of our extended Covenant family and that they are all blessings.

I love worshipping.  I love singing the songs that echo what my heart feels with the well-written words (even if we are called “the frozen chosen”, we still worship… ).  I love learning something new from the living and active Word of God.  I love to feel the affirmation of what He has already been knitting within my heart, and I even love the sting of conviction because I know that it is only handed down because He loves me too much to leave me wallowing in something so foul as sin.  I love church.

Oftentimes, after the service, we will share a meal with various friends, where we linger over conversation that ranges from the very deep to the silly and frivolous, but it is nevertheless, highly treasured.  There is something so special about breaking bread with God’s people.

 Eventually, this happens:

And in stark contrast, this:

 But, I love all of that.  We mostly wind up our Sabbath Day by going right back to where we started:  church.  The evening service is so much more casual in appearance, but deeply steeped in fervent, unorchestrated, Spirit-led prayer.  Once it’s over, you will find the children running amuck outside and the adults taking in that last little breath of relaxation before the week begins again.

Tonight, after evening church, we are heading to our friend’s home for s’mores and flashlight tag.  Things went just a little differently than the norm here today because Mark and the boys were camping this weekend with the Scouts, so it was just the younger 2 and me that made it to the morning service.  It has been an afternoon of stinky camp laundry and chilling out while listening to the plethora of stories after such an eventful weekend, but I am still so thankful, nonetheless.  I imagine they will all sleep WELL tonight.. haha!

If you all are interested in participating in the 31 Days of… blog carnival, it’s not too late!  Here’s the link, and seriously, check out some of the entries.  They are really informative!  Happy Sunday, friends.