Sweet Sunday

Sundays are one of my favorite days of the week. There is just something so special about going to worship our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, with our church family. I love the encouragement, the fellowship, getting fed the Word, and the corporate worship. No matter where I have gone to church my church family has always been an extensive of my earthly family. Although I was lonely for a church family for a long time since leaving our other church (we were there 8 years). . .God has blessed our family amazingly with a new church (not official yet, but hopefully any day now :)). God has over and over confirmed that us leading our former church was the right thing to do.

This Sunday was, for some reason. . . nothing new or special. . . but, it just felt extra sweet to me.

I got up and did my usual Sunday paper run. I actually run 2 miles before leaving the house. I grocery shopped, came home, got the crew ready and headed out the door. We had a Sunday School social at our house last Sunday. . . averaging about 30 kids and 20-25 adults. . . I think others being in your home brings you closer together... We have an amazing Sunday School teacher who has such a heart for the Lord and His people.

The message our pastor preached was one of those messages that is as if God Himself is speaking right to you. It was a message dealing with things I know the Holy Spirit had been directing me to do. . . and our pastor confirmed those things to me with his sermon.

We went straight home after church and had leftovers for lunch. I ate, grabbed my book and headed to my bedroom. I read for a little bit and then took a Sunday nap (there is nothing like a nap on Sunday).

When I woke up I had a plate of brownies beside my bed with 1 Ritz cracker (I still don't know why 1 Ritz). The girls made brownies ALL BY THEMSELVES and saved some for mom. . . .and, of course, they had a sweet little note with their chocolately goodness.

I made my yummy baked potato soup because that night after church we were having a fellowship after the service. Most times our Sunday night services are very similar to Sunday mornings. . . This service, however, was filled with more prayer and praise and less preaching. We sang praise songs and hymns. . . we then got into small groups and prayed over specific things that we were directed to pray over. . .

One of these things touched my heart so much. We were asked to pray for those who would be experiencing their first holiday season without a loved one. As Jon prayed for my Grandmama tears flowed down my face. There was such a sweet spirit in the air. I just can't imagine how my Grandmama is dreading this season. I'm already dreading walking into their house and not see my Papa popping up to great me . . . to ask me about my marathon. . . to tell me how good Jesus is and how lost we would be without Him. I just know it will never be the same without him. . .and one of my biggest fears is there will not be as much laughter. He was quite the character and very entertaining. . . and one of my very favorite things to do in this entire world is laugh. . . and I wonder if some of the laughter at family gatherings left when my Papa did.

Anyhoo, back to Sunday. . . we had a chili/soup fellowship time after the service. We talked and laughed and connected more with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Jon tried to talk a little theology with my friend, Angela . . . bless his heart. . . he said afterwards he felt so dumb that he needed to go through Awana before he talked/debated with her again. She is so super-smart.

It was such a sweet time, and I'm so very grateful for where God has placed us at this point in our lives.