Some Sundays I crave being in church, worshipping, singing, getting a glimpse of what God is doing in the world.
And on other Sundays I look at my family and can see that we are all just done. Fried. On those days, going to church feels like one more thing we are supposed to do. I know I’ll spend the sermon glaring at three very wiggly children.
I don’t want to praise God and glare at my children at the same time. And I don’t want worshipping God to be something we just check off a list, or endure because we have to.
On one of those days, Stephen and I decided to take our crew outside for some Bible time. The kids each picked out a verse they wanted to read, and we headed out into the sunshine and gentle breeze. I’m sure we looked interesting as Anderson stood up to read his verses, dressed in his ever-present ninja costume. The girls read their verses and I read one about God’s steadfast love. We talked about how much God loves us, even when we mess up, because His love for us never ends.
These verses led into a very honest conversation, because everyone in our house knows what it is to mess up, to need forgiveness, to need grace.
Sometimes worshipping in church feeds my soul, and other times, a Bible time in the sunshine with my little family is what I need. Either way, we are doing what we were made for – praising Him every day.
And sometimes the end of church might look like this.
