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.
2 comments:
It is most definitely a struggle. There was a time when believers were more united on issues like this.
Now, we comply willingly even though our hearts are grieved.
Our family has been in the same situation with gymnastics meets. They weren't held on Sunday mornings but Saturdays and then Sunday afternoons (out of town) so we would inevitably miss Sunday morning service. Emma doesn't compete anymore but Samuel is playing baseball. He doesn't play on a travel team (yet) but I am sure the day will come. Balancing and weighing the decision will come again, it is only a matter of time.
We did have a girl on Hannah's softball team that never missed a Wednesday night service with her church ... even though it cost us a forfeit once. That one stung, especially for my husband (coach) and we struggled to understand because Wednesday wasn't a Sabbath day but this family felt like they had committed to the church body before ball.
Great post Jill.
You ask good questions ... but they are hard questions too :(
Hi Jill, Very interesting post. I actually breath a sigh of relief when I pass by Hobby Lobby on Sundays since it is so refreshing to see the parking lot empty and to know why that is. Thought of you Monday morning listening to 88.1 - they were doing a long funny skit/sketch on Chic-filet (sp?) and ended by saying how many times they have been sitting in the drive through lot on a Sunday only to realize they are not open on Sundays :) One more reason we need one of those here! Take care, Love, Kath
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