Life Jackets, Bare Feet and Drinks Allowed

Y'all.  I can never catch a break when it comes to Sunday attire with this child.  Never.  Never ever.  As in NEVERRRRRRR.....  We went through  at least 6 months of arguments about not wearing her Halloween costume/various princess dresses to church every Sunday. EVERY single Sunday morning we had tears, we had hiding underneath the dining room table, the child wore me down. I compromised with making the rules that Sunday morning - she is wearing a NORMAL church dress, and Sunday night and Wednesday night I could care less - princess costume, crown, bubble machine - you name it, I don't care. Let's just get to church halfway on time with our salvation still in tact for Pete's sake.

We are between ministries and have recently left the church that we have known and loved for the last 11 years.  They have loved my kids.  They KNOW how Elisabeth is.  I have really struggled going to new churches because what if they didn't "get" our E?

Well this past Sunday Elisabeth pulled a new stunt on me. We were at my dad's and visiting a new church. I thought I had won the dress battle because she was more than excited to wear the "Frozen" dress with the attached tutu. Then right before we were ready to go she brings in this bathing suit/life jacket and says "Me wear life jacket to church."  ME: "NO you are not"  Elisabeth: "YES ME IS!"
She cries and runs out of the room.  We are loading in the car and she comes around the corner with that DARN LIFE JACKET ON!!!!  Note the tears that followed.  She did not win this battle.

 

My dad told us we needed to leave early for church so we could be sure and get a seat.  Get a seat? In a small, rural country church? Apparently yes.  And it took me less than 5 minutes to see why.  I have honestly have never been to a service like it. We drive up to a small white precious church in the middle of the woods.  There is a man in the parking lot warmly greeting us - and he was wearing pajama pants.  I find a seat and sit down next to a special needs girl wearing a helmet.  Her name was Elizabeth. (Instant connection and conversation there!) Next to her was another special needs teenager with the mind of a four year old.  We had quite the animated conversation about Scooby Doo and if I wanted to wear a Wolverine costume for Halloween. (Again, instant connection. lol) Next to this girl was a mom in a wheel chair. Poor people, middle class families, drug addicts, preachers-in-training,  young and old filled the seats.  There were kids barefooted.  There were ADULTS barefooted. I saw fresh drinks in the stained glass window sills and food in the chairs. There was hugging and huge toothy smiles. And hardly an empty seat. My dad said "Elisabeth would have fit right in with her life jacket on!" And I think he is right.  No one would have noticed.   Then the worship started.  A NO-HOLDING-BACK kind of worship.  Standing with arms stretched to the heavens kind of worship.  Tears flowing. No big flashy band - just a worship leader.  People started coming to the alter to pray BEFORE the message even started. 

 

 And you guys - THIS WAS A SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCH.  But these people were desperate for Jesus. And Jesus was there. The Holy Spirit was moving.  Sometimes when we go to the same church for a really long time and all of us are pretty much the same and life is somewhat okay for everybody we forget what desperate looks like. We get comfortable and critical and distracted and hung up on programs and money (or lack thereof) and we just practically shut the door on the Holy Spirit. And if we are desperate and life is hard we let our Sunday class know, we let the Facebook world know, but do we run and fall at Jesus' feet and cry out to him and let HIM know? Do we love him and worship him not caring what other's think just because of who He is?

 

After this past Sunday, I was convicted how comfortable I have been in church.  How somehow it had become about everything else BUT Jesus?  This little church below was filled with the poor and broken, with the rich and comfortable but JESUS WAS SO THERE.  I can see why you couldn't hardly find a seat.  I don't know what woods these people came from but they were there to meet Jesus.  And even though the building lacked space - ministries were happening.  At the end of the service they announced different Bible studies going on in different homes every night of the week. I am not kidding - every night. And the food pantry was open AFTER the service. The preacher flat out told people they needed to get saved.  I want to go back.  I want to experience that again.

 

And even though this is not where God has called us for our permanent place of worship, I pray that Jesus will change me. I want to desire him, to fall at his feet, to fight through the crowd to touch the hem of his garment when I am broken and needy. In church. Take me as I am Lord.

                                     

 

I was changed when I got into that car.  Our family felt encouraged and hopeful that Jesus is still alive and well in the church. We went home refreshed.  Elisabeth didn't miss a beat. She knew she would have been just fine wearing that life jacket to church. The minute we got home the life jacket went back on - over her dress.  And she walked around with it all day like that. (Notice the tutu part sticking out the back like the fin of a fish.)

 

                                       

And actually, she wore that life jacket around for the rest of the week.  Whatever floats your boat kid.  Stay safe from the waves on that golf cart why don't ya.

                                      

 

And if you are out of church, find one. Who cares what people think. Make a bee-line for Jesus.  And if you going to church today - welcome and love on the broken, the desperate. Give them a hug and big toothy smile.   Jesus is there with arms open wide.  Let's worship Him!

 

                                                                 Come Just As You Are

Hear the Spirit call

Come just as you are

Come and see

Come receive

Come and live forever

Life everlasting

strength for today

Taste the living water

And never thirst again

 

~ lyrics by Crystal Lewis