Easy Like Sunday Morning

I love Sunday mornings! For the most part of my life with the exception of those turbulent years between the age of 13-15, I have loved going to church. Loved getting dressed up and arriving at church to be with my friends. Loved Sunday School and the opening part of the worship service and tolerated the sermon time. It was hard for me to sit still and of course not knowing anything back in the day about ADD just made it look like I had a discipline problem. Today I love Sunday morning for another reason, I got to sleep in and ease into the day. Roy and I had breakfast, read the paper and he just went out the door for his morning walk. I am going over last minute preparation for my Sunday School lesson tonight. Once for a Mildred and Gertrude deal, I rewrote the words to Leaning on the Everlasting Arms. The whole premise was if we volunteered a lot at church couldn't those hours be counted as time served? It would be like a Baptist Buck program and you could turn those bucks in so that you could take a Sunday off and not feel guilty. Here is part of the rewritten song.

Don't need a fellowship
Don't need a quiet time
I'm not setting my clock alarm.
Oh what joy I have, what a peace is mine
sleeping like a sinner till half past nine.

We love attending the Ascend service. We go to Sunday School at 5:15 and service is at 6:30. Love having the extra time to prepare the lesson. I am teaching on Authentic Relationships. It has been a good study for me and a reminder that we need friends... Yesterday, and thanks for praying for us, Peggy and I did a M&G deal at a church that has seen much better days. They are struggling to hold onto tradition yet slowly deal with the contemporary way of church styles these days. I loved seeing how the ladies interacted with one another and surprisingly there was a good mix of ages. They were warm, inviting and friendly. Sometimes when it comes right down to it, we go to things at church because we are with our friends. It wasn't until I started working at church that I ever noticed presentation and decorations. For me the beauty was sitting and laughing with my friends. We could have met in a barn for all I cared. I feel that way about studying the Word too. When God's presence is so palatable and He is so there, when the worship leads to His throne and the teaching penetrates the bone and marrow of my soul...I would go to a barn, a park, or some old building to be with Him. In class tonight we are continuing our study of Jonathan and David. We are at my favorite part; God molded and made Jonathan for a transforming and defining moment in David's life. This moment is found in I Samuel 23:16. David is at one of the lowest points of his life and Jonathan comes to him and encourages him in God. He gets David to focus on God, not the enemy and when David is feeling overwhelmed in his circumstances, Jonathan reminds him that God is in control of everything, even Saul. Jonathan encouraged David that the wilderness was God's timing and way and just Jonathan being there was comforting, renewing and refreshing to David. Jonathan reminded David of God's promise, the anointing on his life, God's presence was with him and God's continual goodness toward David. Wow, what a great friend, he strengthened him for action. Then in I Samuel 30:6 it is a critical time and the verse says that David encouraged himself or as one translation put it, strengthened his hand in God. David remembered how Jonathan had lived that out for him. Acts 13:36 says that David served the purposes of God in his generation. I think Jonathan helped serve that purpose by being David's friend. With this lesson on encouraging one another, comforting one another and stimulating one another to love and good deeds, I can't help but think over these past few days of the wonderful husband, friends, family and co-workers that God has brought into my life. God has used them all to transform and mold me for the purpose He has for me in my generation. Of course if it is with Peggy while doing M&G I need to remember I am always on her right.