Sunday's aren't really sacred anymore

As I pulled into the parking lot a little bit before 10:45 this morning, I had trouble finding a parking place. It was a Sunday Morning at 10:45 and the parking lot was bursting at the seams with people everywhere.

Sadly, the parking lot I'm talking about does not belong to a Church or a place of worship. It belongs to a softball league and the people in the lot were hustling not to find a place in a pew or a seat in a Bible study, they were scurrying about to softball games for games that had started at 10:30 in the morning. On a Sunday morning.

On the way to this field, I passed by another parking lot that normally is filled with happy people, but on this Sunday morning was closed so that employees at this establishment could have the day off to worship with their families. It belonged to Hobby Lobby.

How sad is it that big "corporation" gets that Sunday mornings/days should be set aside for worship and family time, but a girls softball league views those time slots before noon on Sunday as a time to fit in one more game that day. A day they view as no different than Saturday.

To be honest, I really wanted to protest and not send Miss M to this first game of a new league/new season. I wanted to prove a point that our family observes the Sabbath, that we view Sunday morning as precious time set aside for God and corporate worship. Next Sunday morning game time I will. Two girls on our team did "protest" and not come to the game today. I respected their decision.

My husband and M skipped church today for two reasons only. C and P had been camping all weekend and arrived home just before we needed to leave for Church. C jumped in the shower and off he and Miss A and I went to church. There was not enough time for P to shower and unpack the wet camping gear. Second, P was the coach of 9 of the girls joining this fall league and felt he needed to be at the first game to introduce his team/parents to the new coach and league.

Sadly, today's early morning Sunday game is nothing new in our society. I'm not here to judge whether you are right or wrong in allowing your child to participate in a game that conflicts with Church time. Obviously today we can not sit in that judgement.

However, it seems that this is just one more sign of the ever growing Post-Christian Culture rampant in America today. They never would have scheduled a soccer, softball, or volleyball game on a Sunday morning when I was a child. Never! Until recently schools in our area didn't give homework on Wednesday nights knowing that a number of the children participated in either Wednesday night church activities.

Society seemed to know there was a line you did not cross. Sunday mornings were different than Saturday mornings. Why is that in our town you can't sell Beer or Liquor before noon on Sunday, but it's no problem to schedule a game, practice or tournament on a Sunday morning?

Sunday is no longer sacred in our country. This not only makes me mad that organized sports and organizations can stomp all over our "time of worship," but more than anything it makes me sad. Do we really need to play that many games of softball? Does a soccer tournament really need to be played on Sunday morning?

I'm gonna step off my soapbox for a moment to say I don't have all the answers. I don't know how to respond to society trampling my religious freedom while protecting others at all costs. I'm not trying to become a political blog. I have strong views, but I'll keep them to myself most of the time.

However, I wonder if by sitting on the sidelines at the softball game today at 11 a.m. in my Church clothes nonetheless was giving in to this new "sabbath." Give me wisdom God to know how to be in the world, but not of the world. God, right now would be a great time to use those lightning bolts and burning bushes to send me the right answer.

For now, I think I'll just be praying about what my family can do to honor our commitment to God and to our daughter's softball team.

Celebrating Halloween or Participating in the Party: How Our Family Does It

My children are going out tonight and walking the neighborhood wearing costumes and begging for candy. Trick or Treating is what we call it!


Yesterday, we had a Halloween Party at our local elementary school and I was the Party Coordinator for my daughter's 4th Grade classroom.


Last night, my son went to a Hallows Eve Lock In with the Youth Group at church. They trick or treated early in the neighborhood for Diapers and Canned Goods for the local shelter.

M went to a sleepover at her dance studio, with no scary costumes allowed. They played games and watched movies. There was nothing scarier than "Freaky Friday".


We have pumpkins on our front porch and candy waiting to be given out to the neighbors.


Yes, we are Christians, but we participate in Halloween. I'm not sure "celebrate" is a good word for what we do with this holiday because we don't really celebrate the day, we just take part in some of the "good traditions and fun."


My kids have never worn ghosts or goblins costumes. They've never been allowed to wear costumes with blood or gore. In fact, for the most part, we've used Halloween to dress up as something we'd like to be when we grow up or dress up like little princesses and just have some fun!


C, our son, has gone as Train Conductor, Air Force Pilot, Buzz Lightyear, Astronaut, War Hero, and the like. This year, he is Moses including the grey beard and stone tablet. As a 7th Grader, he's dressing up just for the costume party at church and for taking his littlest sister out trick or treating tonight. He's not in it for the candy people. Whoever believes that one, please stand up. Good to see that everyone is still sitting.


M has gone as a Duck, Piglet, Clown, Amelia Earhart, Dorthy from the Wizard of Oz with a matching outfit for Kit the American Girl Doll, and an Angel. This year she's going as a nurse which is her dream profession.


A has been a Puppy Dog, (No clown outfit for her as she's afraid of clowns) Elmo, and Eeyore. This year she's dressing up as her favorite princess: Belle from Beauty and the Beast.


We don't spend a fortune on costumes. We don't have any "Halloween decorations" as we just decorate for fall . Tomorrow, a Door Hanger will go up on my front door about Thanksgiving.


I allow my kids to participate in the school Halloween Party because I take part in the planning. I use my influence to make sure there are no "scary games" just good fun. Yesterday, the hit of the party was a game involving a hanging donut on a broom, a blindfold and kids trying to eat without sight/hands the swinging donut. C and I spent Friday morning stringing a 100 donuts on orange string!


As a Christian, I choose not to allow my kids to watch horror movies or expose them to the "Evil" side of Halloween. We talk about how it's a bunch of make believe. There are no witches or goblins.



When C was little we used to recite the line from Veggie Tales: "Are You Worried, No Not Really, Are You Scared, Not a Bit. I know Whatever Happens, God Can Handle It" when we would see scary creatures on the sidewalk on Halloween. With all the kids, we've talked about the real power coming not from Witches and Little Red Devils, but from God. We've talked about how there is nothing to be afraid of, because God is in control. Now that little Veggie Tale phrase is a family mantra.


For our family right now this works. Participating in Halloween without letting it become too big of an event in our lives. I realized doing this post that I don't even have a picture of the last two Halloweens in my scrapbook/one by choice and one from lost pictures. But, maybe that sends a silent message to my family, too. It's not that big of a thing! While I think M is adorable in her nurse's outfit and C cracks me up with his grey beard and bathrobe and A's little silver sparkly shoes make me smile, it's just a moment in time that they are pretending and dreaming.


My strongest desire for my children, besides them accepting Christ as their Savior, is that they can learn "to be in the world but not of the world." For our family, that's our approach for Halloween, too. We want to participate in the good clean aspects of Halloween and avoid the evil and scary things.