Common Conflicts on Sundays

I finally figured out why they happen, I  speak of Sunday Morning Conflicts.  They serve as a reminder to all saved- by- grace people, that we are indeed saved by grace and not by our good behavior on Sunday morning.

Because on Sunday morning, your teenage daughter will try to pull off a new hairstyle and outfit.  The hairstyle, you can look past, but the outfit is less forgiving.  Husband notices the hair 'pretty', which is supposed to be a headband.  He asks me to tell her to take it off.  I whisper the command and get a glare.  The outfit continues to nag me all during church and I am kicking myself for not getting the poor child a few more clothing options.  Things are much too tight on her blooming teenage self, so to fuss at her outfit seems wrong.  Between the two of us, I feel like the dress policeman.

Also, on Sunday morning, husband seems extra boisterous and bossy.  I want to sock him one but instead practice the idea of love. I try not to count how many times he stepped on my air supply while getting ready for church.  I ask God to forgive my evil thoughts and pray for ways to show my man he is truly 'the man' to me.  I think this could possibly help my feelings of contempt.

On the other side of husband, sits our strapping big sixteen- year old son. He gets to sit with the parent police this Sunday for carrying on conversations with a beloved cousin all during the previous week's sermon.

I am about to slip into fear and despair at our methods of teaching, then hear a gentle whisper that God wants to be seen today.  I hear, "Notice Me." and "You are brought here to lay all these trivial things aside and see what I have for you today.  I have prepared a banquet for your starving, empty soul.  I will help you clean the unwanted clutter and messiness of life out of the path so that you can Worship Me."

He did too. This is how He did it.  He sent me back to the basement with the little children. I was sent to the basement a while back to teach a little kids Sunday School class.  Now, He has me there singing with the littles during the grownups devotional time.  I confess, I have never truly appreciated this job.  Knowing this, Bruce said, "I'll do the leading, you just help me."  Do you think I heard him?  No, I did not.  I heard him, but didn't think he meant he would actually pick the songs and lead them.  I thought I had to be the boss of those kids or something.  I'm quick like that.

But on the way down the hill after we were done singing with the kids, [I had to run home and turn on the oven which I had forgotten], God clearly showed me how letting my husband lead when he asks to lead, is extremely freeing to me.  I also saw how it must have felt to my husband in the past, when I ignored his lead and plowed ahead without him.  I was encouraged that I am learning.  Slowly.

  And ultimately, I see God being God; showing me the way past the clutter of decisions. I feel God filling the emotional void in my soul.   I am drawn to worship because He is working quite clearly in my already planned day. Suddenly, the conflicts of my Sunday morning seem more of a tool for bringing my gaze back around to Jesus. Once again, I am given grace by which I am saved.