What to Do on a Sunday

I love Sundays. I love the lazy morning, waking at the last possible moment, cooking up  pancakes with Adela, and sipping my coffee slowly. I like getting dressed up for church and doing the girls' hair. I love sitting in the church pew, singing beautiful songs, and connecting with my neighbors. Sundays are often the day we have dinner with family or do special things with each other.

​I love this God-made day of rest. I do. But, I have to be careful or the day can slide by and slip into the same routine as the others of the week.  After all, I am often spending most of it in my home with the duties of motherhood securely in place. However, if I don't somehow make this day special, the rest of my week begins on a rough note. Life starts to feel lack-luster. I have less energy to do chores and less enthusiasm to do things with my family. If you are like me, you might feel the same. So, here are some tips that always help me make Sunday special.

​Plan something ahead of time. Plan a meal with family or trip to the park with your kids. Get out and do something different. Celebrate your relationships and the people that will be coming alongside you through the approaching week.

​Take as many chores as possible off your plate. Mix up pancake batter and put it in the fridge the night before. Get a meal prepped in the crockpot or make a cold noodle and meat salad. Let the house clutter up. And, if you feel extra daring, don't do the dishes, take out the trash, or fold laundry.

​Do something just for you. Have some quiet time with a good book. Call up a friend for a soothing chat. Cuddle with your kids as you select a family-friendly film that even you can enjoy. Sunday is about your rest, too, you know?

​Rest. This day is about rest and worship. If there is a particular aspect of your self right now that that feels worn--heart, soul, body, mind--then make an extra effort to rest that part of yourself. If that means putting your cell phone on silent or sneaking in a nap then do whatever you can to get it done.

​And, of course, worship. This is a beautiful day to devote some extra time to God. Church, personal devotions, singing praise--it is all worship. God likes to find Himself in your heart.

​This week began with my shoulders relaxed and a smile on my face because I was blessed enough to have a day of rest. I hope you are able to do the same. Perhaps you can't have this day on Sunday because of work or commitments, but I challenge you to find a day that can be given to rest and worship. Be good to yourself and set your week up for deep-seated joy and peace.

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Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
​Exodus 208-11 NIV