Sunday Evening Winding Down

Sunday evening - finally.  Sundays are busy for us - not in a bad way.  We start our day early getting coffee ready for church.  We typically do try to get a nap in on Sunday afternoon - if at all possible. 

We team-teach children's Sunday school with another couple at our church.  We have been doing this for 2-3 years and it has worked out really well.  We are able to keep our sanity and just today another lovely lady from our church has volunteered to help us out - just when we all needed the help. 

So today we had church, did our Sunday lunch with friends, short time at home (spent today with grandkids) - then back to church to get ready for evening discussion and Life Group.  Then when we finally head home about 9:00 I ask Gary if he had uniforms for tomorrow for work.  And the answer was no.  So here we sit waiting for the load of laundry to finish washing so I can switch it to the dryer before heading off to bed.  And here I am sitting here I am reviewing my day and winding down.

I've said all that to say this -- I love my church.  I've said it before - they are my family.  There is nothing better than church family.  Now it is not uncommon when I am listening to my pastor on Sunday morning that he says a word or phrase that really catches my attention.  I jot this down and then it turns into a poem.  My pastor (and the Lord) have been the inspiration for several poems I have written.  Now, I am not winding down this Sunday with a poem I gleaned from this mornings sermon.  However, last Sunday I did get one. 

Now most of the time I can just jot down the phrase and then put it in my file of "Works in Progress".  I have several of these.  The phrase floats around in my head and I ponder over it and work on it and eventually finish it.  Sometimes, however, the words just really start rushing out and I have to write them down right then (and then I have to get to a computer as soon as possible so that I can read what I have written as my handwriting is extremely bad).  This was the case last Sunday.

I had to send my pastor, Art, an apology because I was tuned in to his sermon -right there with him when he did it.  He said a phrase that caught my attention.  I jotted it down thinking I'd finish it later.  Well, later was then and about 2/3 of the way through his 2nd point of the sermon - my mind took a turn of it's own and I had to write down the words that were flowing.  So as I wind down this Sunday evening (and my washer finishes the load of uniforms) let me share with you the poem that I got from last Sunday's sermon.  Hope you enjoy. 

ARE YOU GROWING Do you suffer from stagnation? Have you forgotten your salvation? Are you growing and maturing? Is your faith still enduring? Are you following your calling? Or do you find yourself stalling? Is God the One you seek As you go about your week? Are you feeding your soul? Do you practice self-control? Can you endure the bad With the training you have had? Do you fall down on your knees Seeking the One you need to please? Don’t be near-sighted and/or blind Remember you left your sins behind. Goodness, knowledge, self-control Of all else we must let go. Read your Bible, seek the Lord Let us be of one accord. Written by: Kathie Marrs October 4, 2012