When I saw this picture below on Pinterest one day I couldn’t help but relate! It’s so, so true! Even if it’s not something that was scheduled per-say, like wanting to get out the door grocery shopping by 9 AM, when you get out the door later than that, every mom know’s that just mentally threw your whole day off!
Today I wanted to specifically talk about being on time for church services. Even more specifically…mid-week services. I think Sundays are easier (Other than the fact they start earlier) because you or your spouse are usually not working. The day SHOULD be set aside for this time anyway…so the family can already be in a routine usually. These tips will definitely help with Sundays too! Our family attends mid-week service faithfully and sometimes, especially when kids are involved, there’s just no greater of an inconvenience. (Don’t act like you’ve never felt the same way!) Your week is on a roll…you kept to your nap schedules, you have your daily cleaning routines and laundry figured out…and then there’s that day in the middle of the week when it all gets messed up! When the naps are cut short, dinner is the quick meal that just gets you out the door, and you’re tired and ready for bed before you even get to the service!
But ladies, today I’m going to share a few tips to avoid this scenario. Now, I am not perfect!! I still sometimes run out the door not as prepared as I should be. But that’s just the reason…I wasn’t prepared! Which is the whole key…
DISCLAIMER: All of these tips are just helps. I realize there is this thing called life. That’s reality. lol Things come up, kids get sick. Someone might require an outfit change as you’re walking out the door for some reason (been there) and it sets you back 5 minutes! So, these just help. No one is perfect and everyone runs into snags once in a while and we’re not on the schedule we’d like to be!
1.) DON’T PLAN ANYTHING BIG ON THIS DAY.
If you faithfully go to church during the week than you already know this day is coming and what all is involved. I never plan anything big on Wednesdays. I try not to even do laundry on this day if I can get away with it, because on top of all the other motherly duties and household chores, laundry is going to be too much and might be left unfolded in baskets by the time I have to leave and get ready for church. No one wants to come home to that… So save your big grocery shopping haul or bigger projects for another day!
2.) PREPARE A MEAL AHEAD OF TIME.
Crock pots are a life saver! But I usually do something even more simple like hot dogs and macaroni. Or hot sausage sandwiches with a side. The cooking doesn’t take long and there are usually no leftovers to worry about either. It’s just important to plan something. Otherwise, you’ll be scramming around for something to eat and when there is nothing quick enough, you’ll just end up going through the McDonald’s drive-thru. I’ve done this more times than I can say and it’s so frustrating because I always know it could’ve been avoided with a little more planning. Of all the tips…I’m the worst at this one!
3.) DON’T PLAN TO BE ON TIME. PLAN TO BE EARLY.
I do have to say I’m usually at the church at least 15 minutes before the service starts if not earlier. Which might not sound that early but with little ones and living 35 minutes from my church I think I do okay! lol Plus, Wednesday evenings right now my husband works, so I’m a single parent these nights too! I have no major responsibilities at my church at this point in my life, except the church pianist so I don’t need to be there too much earlier than that anyway. I just like to be there in time to maybe use the restroom if I have to, get my things in my pew, maybe get the kids situated in the nursery, and be able to play prelude music a couple minutes before church starts. That’s my plan… Everyone is different and has different responsibilities. The important thing is not to be RIGHT on time and be a distraction that way, or even worse…late, and make a bigger distraction and disrespect your Pastor, or maybe your kids’ teacher by your kids walking in late and disrupting his/her hard work to get the all the other kids’ attention in the first place! They have to start from square one again. Really, it ultimately disrespects the Lord and His house. Church is important. Plan to be there early enough to be spiritually prepared and not always in a rushed, motherly frenzy!! Because if we come to church just to check the box…or maybe just so our kids get their faithfulness award so they can go to the pizza party at the end of the year…what’s the point?
4.) GET YOURSELF READY BEFORE THE KIDS.
This is such a time-saver ladies. Now, I know…the Lord looks on the heart. Which he does. But we should look our best for church. I always get ready before I even have my kids dressed for church. I make sure I’m looking presentable and representing the Lord and my husband well. (Yes, they care how you look at church too.) If by the time I’m ready for church I don’t have time to put that super cute bow in Hannah’s hair…or make sure she’s groomed to perfection…I don’t really care. Honestly, they’re kids. Especially the hair…it’s usually messed up by the time you get to church anyway, so now we’re running late AND I still have to fix her hair when I get there. Not worth the hassle. I usually do have time to make sure they’re looking there best, but if it comes to their hair/outfit or being on time….we’re going to be on time. The hair is just an example but my point is to get yourself looking good then worry about your kids looking perfect. Too often I see kids dressed so cute and hair perfectly styled and mom still has wet hair…?? I don’t get that!
5.) PREP THE DIAPER BAG EARLY.
I always make sure that my diaper bag is ready to go way before I leave for church. Sometimes I’ll even run it out to the car ahead of time too. It saves me so much time. My kids can’t independently get into the car yet either so this eliminates another trip back and forth from the house when I’m trying to leave. I make sure I’m prepped with a lot of diapers, wipes, lots of snacks and a drink. I know we’ll survive if anything should come up! haha Prep your bag ahead of time…it’s a small thing that will be a huge help!
Hope these tips helped! Happy Wednesday!!
(Let me know in the comments if you have even better tips! I’d love to hear them!!)
Hi! These tips are so practical and helpful for us young moms as we train our hearts to honor the Lord through using our time well, especially by being organized and prepared and arriving early for church. Thank you for taking the time to share what you have learned. I am working in my own home on being more disciplined and organized in those same areas. Another help I have found for Sunday mornings is to have my kids help me pick out what they want to wear for church, on Saturday nights. This helps avoid the Sunday morning meltdowns! And they known when they wake up Sunday morning that before they come out of their rooms they need to be dressed for church. Then when they sit down for breakfast they are ready to go and I do my daughters hair while she is sitting eating breakfast. I have also found that Friday night dictates how well I do getting up early on Sundays- we need to be at church no later then 8am each week because my husband is the music minister and we do a short practice before Sunday school hour. If I am not up by 6, I make my family late because even though I might be 90% ready when my kids get up, I’m still nursing a baby and that nursing time consumes the last of my “getting ready” time. And after some rough months of Sunday morning difficulties once we got to church, I have stared trying to get up by 5:30 to have some quiet time in prayer preparing my heart and then start getting ready at 6. This is hard but SO worth it! And getting enough sleep Friday night helps more than you’d think- it often takes until the second day for a late night to really be felt. Ha. Great job striving to serve your family in these areas you have shared!!
Wow…busy woman! Yes, I always pick my girls’ outfits out Saturday evening too! I didn’t even consider my sleep Friday night to be an issue. Now Friday nights I’ll always think of my sleep for Sunday! 🙂 Thanks for this great comment, Lucy! -Natalie Love