sundays... then and now

I've had a sorta love/hate relationship with Sundays most of my adult life. I know, that sounds kinda strange. But let me explain...

When I was growing up, Sundays were the best.
First off... let me just say... farmers may be the only profession that can actually say they work 24/7. There you go, I said it. Now you know.
But on Sundays... well, Sundays were different than the other days of the week.
Sundays were a family day... at least between the two milkings.

After my Dad milked the cows.. we would all go to church at our little Lutheran church. We would all sit together... taking up most of one pew. As a side note... we really were given pins and a bar for every year of perfect attentance in Sunday School. And yes, my pin had several bars hanging from it. You never wanted to miss Sunday School... ever!

After church we'd go home and eat fried chicken... every Sunday. I smile as I recall my Mom saying that she would take the wings while the rest of us got the better parts. And I would think, "I could never sacrifice for my kids like she does and settle for the wings!" Heck, my Mom was no fool... she knew she was getting darn good meat! So now I do that! I love the wings!

Then after dinner (in the midwest the noon meal is dinner) we'd pile in the car and go for an afternoon drive and invaribly end up visiting family.

My Dad came from a family of nine kids. My Mom from a family of six kids. And they all lived close. So I grew up with lots and lots of cousins. We'd often times go to my Grandparents home and spend the afternoon with aunts and uncles and cousins. I loved hearing my aunts and uncles telling stories... recalling events of the past... discussing the weather, the crops, the latest news. They were a fun-loving, laughing bunch.
And come on... is there anything better than hearing your Mom & Dad laughing and joking... totally relaxed... enjoying the day! I felt I really got to know my parents hearing them interact with family and friends.

Fast forward... Randy and I married... in full-ministry.
Needless to say, Sundays are not quite the same. Sundays are, well, a work day.
Randy is either on the road singing at a church somewhere or leading worship at our church. So he leaves the house super early... we rarely ever ride to church together... much less sit together. He usually needs a nap before he heads out again for an evening concert somewhere... or he'll leave right from church to sing at another church out of town.

Don't get me wrong... I love our life... I love that Randy is doing what he was created to do.
But... it was just not what I wanted our Sundays to be like... what I knew and remembered my Sundays to be like.

So I struggled... especially thoses years when our kids were young... wanting to recapture the memories of my youth... wanting the same for my kids that I had with my family.

But guess what? They're fine... they love Sundays... hanging out with their church friends... building memories.
And guess what? I'm fine... I scrapbook with a group of friends once a month... so it has become like my scrap day.
Randy and I love hanging with our family & friends when we can... and love to be outdoors as it gets cooler. Life is truly good.

Just had a thought... I need to do a scrapbook layout called 'Sundays... then and now'.