Sunday, Sunday

Well, as you can tell by the title of this post, today is Sunday. I love Sunday. I always have. Sunday is the Lord's day. It is a time of worship, tradition, service, friendship, family, love, joking, rest, lunch, reverence, praise, fun, dressing up, being at your best, not afraid to admit your worst, acceptance, healing, laughing, crying, singing, reading, listening, feasting, learning, doing, commiting, believing, reaching out, smiling, hugging, shaking hands, celebrating.

I love that peace that comes with Sunday. I just have that warm fuzzy feeling on Sundays. I feel like I have not only dined with so, so many of the people I love most in this world, but I have communed with the Master Himself. Oh, God how I love you! I'm desperate for You, I'm lost without You!

I love the feeling of acceptance at church. I love feeling like these people-these brothers and sisters-are glad to see me. I love when they say, "Hi, Erin," as if they are glad to see me. I love when they shake my hand or hug my neck. I love those little old ladies who make you feel as though you have been blessed with many grandmothers. I love how my pastor is humble and a willing servant of God who desires to be solely and completely in the will of God. How he desires that he not been seen at all, but Christ alone. I love how our minister of music pauses in his prayers, in awe of God in reverence of His holy presence. I love how my Sunday School teacher teases all of us, and makes us all feel at ease, and all a part of the group.

I love seeing new people walk through the door. I love seeing the light in the eyes of a new believer and the weightlessness as they enter the doors hungry for the Word and the fellowship. I love seeing those faithful deacons, trustees, and other pillars of the church sitting on the back row sharing their inside jokes as they wait to lift the offering. I love the little girls in their frilly little dresses and sweet smiles. They little boys with their mischevious smirks as they try to slip past the pastor with a football stuffed in their coat.

I love it when someone who has been sick, or gone on vacation returns. I love to see them, and I love to watch others greet them. I love to see my pastor's wife slip in a little late because she has spent extra time preparing her Sunday School room. I love one particular little boy who tries to sneak up on me and surprise me.

I love the music. Oh, how I love the music. All of it, from the hymns I've sang since childhood to the most contempory worship song. I love a good beat or something sang a capella. I love to take a moment during the occassional song to stop my own voice and just let my heart drink in the voices of the congregation. I also like to just read the words and say them in my mind to the Lord. I also like to raise my hand in praise. (This is new for me, but it feels great to let the Spirit move and not quench the Spirit.)

I love the Word. I love to hear about my Lord. I love to learn more about Him. I love how, as Gary said this morning, it all points to HIM.

I love coming home and slipping into my pjs. Sometimes I take a nap, sometimes I get on the computer and just be lazy all day. I love being able to not have to do anything. Then, I love to get ready and go back to the Lord's house.

I love that my church family sees my parents for the wonderful, God-fearing, faithful servants that they are. I love when my Dad is called on to pray, or someone tells me how encouraging my Mom is. I love when my husband is asked for, even though they know he is probably at work but miss him all the same. I love to have my boy with me. I love to look over in the pew and see him singing along. I love to see him anxiously grab his Bible to go to Children's Church.

I love Sunday. I love it for all of these things and more. But, I mainly love Sunday, because of You, Lord. If it weren't for You, Sunday would be just another day. I'm glad it's not.