Today’s catch phrase is:
Survive Sundays.
{If you’re not in ministry and you’re reading this, read it as tongue in cheek and don’t take it too seriously, ok?} Let’s enjoy some humor and talk about Sunday. It’s a day off, right? Oh, I guess you didn’t hear. It’s the pastor’s second day off!….that he really doesn’t get.
Really it doesn’t affect us at all to take van loads of hyper teenagers to camp on Friday and then return on Saturday with the {even more} hyper and some injured offspring of our church families. We get in late, but we still make sure that all of our church clothes are washed and dried and ironed on Saturday night, so what could possibly go wrong on Sunday morning? {If you find out how socks go missing and tie clips break and pantyhose run and hair won’t fix and children whine and there’s no food in the fridge, please let me know!} At least the pastor’s family makes it on time and they successfully hide the chaos.
The pastor’s easy work begins when he gets up and talks for an hour {also known as “the sermon”.} He does a fantastic job of hiding how draining it is mentally, physically, and emotionally to deliver a sermon, after spending hours studying and praying for said sermon. It’s hot on the platform and he sweats like crazy. He bears his soul into the hearts of the people, and then it’s over. Until the next service.
Right before the next service, a well meaning soul shares a burden or a church problem that troubles the pastor and makes it hard to focus on his message. But he gets up and leads the music, does the announcements, sings the special music, and then preaches again. After the service, he does some impromptu counseling. Meanwhile, during the course of the day he forgot half of the requests, reminders, problems and complaints that were given to him simply because the human brain can’t retain such a quantity of information in one day. And so ends the longest day of the week {maybe it’s really two days?!}
But wait…we forgot to talk about Sunday afternoon. The day of rest doesn’t exactly work out to be restful, for after lunch there is music practice to be done. And so the nap gets pushed aside in favor of {another} cup of coffee. So when we’re asked “Did you get a nap?” we answer “no, not today!” as if it is out of the ordinary. Really we want to fall into a heap and cry, “No, never. It’s Sunday, remember?” But we refrain. And to those who make comments about Sunday being the only day the pastor works, I suggest a “go with pastor to work” day. They’ll never complain again. They will rush back to their 40 hours a week job and give it a big hug. But I digress…
And lest we forget about the pastor’s children, this day is work for them, too. Moms, have you been shocked, as I was, to learn that even from birth, babies know what day Sunday is? I mean, they really know. It’s a lot of work for them to fight their schedule and feed early, only to turn around and feed late. And then naptime- it comes at such a weird time and ends so quickly! Choir practice comes and they play loudly quietly on the carpet beside the piano. Then during service time they bounce on a knee that they’ve never bounced on before {while trying to read sign language from Mommy at the piano because they are acting up}, and once again supper comes way too late. Bedtime comes late too, but they’re ok with that. They’re so keyed up from the day that they make sure Mom and Dad can’t sleep for awhile either.
Which brings me back to the pastor and his wife {and a few serious thoughts.} I’ve seen my husband, as you probably have, come home so keyed up from the day, yet so exhausted that he can’t relax. Many weeks I come home on Sunday night with a lot of back and joint pain from sitting at the piano for hours on Sundays. I know several ministry couples who struggle with migraines on Sundays and stress-induced physical ailments. I suspect that hot baths and painkillers are probably Sunday night staples in a pastors’ homes.
Bottom line- Sundays are HARD. Are we complaining? No, we wouldn’t have it any other way. Ministry is more than a burden- it’s a calling. And we know what goes along with our calling. Dear ministry leader, take these words to heart and just smile at the person who asks you how your weekend was. Instead of shouting, “It was insane!” just calmly resolve for the rest of your days to:
Survive Sundays.
Let’s Chat: How do you survive Sundays? Leave your tips and stories here, please. That is, if you’ve survived. 🙂
hahahahh love this post Leah!!! I giggled through the whole thing! Oh yes, i could add so many more tales to this heehee! I loved what you said at the end……its perspective, its a privilege and a joy to serve the Lord. I often have to be reminded of that. Satan loves to whisper and try to get my eyes off Jesus and look at others and see how simple their lives are. I remember when we first came to our ministry and i was in the nursery “three to thrive” lol, with just my kids!!! I started to complain, to myself, and think things like, it would be easier just to stay home!! The Lord lovingly reminded me of this precious verse….Psa 84:10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
What a privilege indeed!!! Our survival hinges on our attitude, perspective, our walk….. on Christ!
Thanks again Leah, hehe I feel silly responding to each of your posts but they are a blessing 😉 from one sister warrior to another!!
Laurie, I love your comments! They make my day, so don’t feel silly. 🙂 And yes, when our children were just born and toddlers, I used to feel like I got them all ready only to sit in the nursery and wondered why it mattered that I was there. But it does- God sees and it pleases Him. It really is all about perspective. Thanks for sharing your heart!
LOL! Yep! That’s about right! Instead of piano though, I’m the nursery and children’s classes director, and also sing in choir and ensembles. But you are right, I for some reason love it and Saturday night I’m excited. 🙂 I find it interesting you mentioned stress-induced ailments among ministry couples… I never had health problems until my husband went into the senior pastorate. Gods grace is sufficient, but we are learning a lot about balancing our commitments and protecting our “free time”… Thank you for all you do in sharing your heart and lessons you learn. I love it.
Interesting what you said about health problems and ministry. I may do a post on that in the future. My husband and I both have some health struggles that we never had prior to ministry. God gives grace, though, and He is always teaching us about balance and rest. Thanks so much for sharing your heart!
Soooo true!!!! my hubby is not a Senior Pastor but we do all the music and youth. I love it! I can’t dream of what my life would be without our ministry! We’re gearing up for Youth Sunday at the end of October so our Sunday’s go a little something like this:
Arrive at church 8:00 am to unlock, turn on lights air and (me) one final piano practice for the day.
9: Men’s prayer (me) watch nursery for the kids who come early with dad.
9:30 Short Choir Practice for Sunday Morning
9:45 Sunday School – and everything that goes with that in a youth group! 🙂
10:40 Prelude (hopefully I’ve gotten in a bathroom break but if the teacher goes long…)
10:45 Sunday Service, Choir, Specials – the works
12 – Check nursery – clean, straighten
12:30 Lunch with Teens and practice for Youth Service
4:30 – Beginner’s Music Class
5: Choir Practice
6: Evening Service
7ish Straighten Nursery, Spend some much needed time “mingling” while hubby counsels, Men count offering, etc.
9 Are we Home YET?!?!?!?
“Stress induced physical ailments” I think you hit the nail on the head! 🙂 But, again, we love it and wouldn’t have it any other way!
Your schedule looks familiar, Becky! 🙂 And I DO leave Sunday school early on purpose so I have time for a washroom break before choir the run-through and the prelude. I always hope that I don’t look as busy as I am. haha It does bother me sometimes that I don’t have as much time to mingle with people before services, but making sure the music/musicians/orchestra is ready is a big job. Thanks for all you do in ministry, and for sharing your heart here. 🙂
Oh how true Leah. Loved this. Had me chuckling all the way through. We are learning to find our Sabbath rest even on Sunday’s. We don’t have a Sunday evening service so it allows us to take some family time. However, we are learning to guard that time or so many other things can come in and take over. Because I do so much writing I have to be mindful to unplug from the computer and my work there. For my husband, it’s setting his phone aside and taking time for himself. We usually end the day with a long walk around the field. We are continually learning the rhythms of rest and work. ~Victoria
Yes, learnin to rest is surely a rhythm that is always changing in ministry. Any free time will be eaten up if we let it. It’s hard to set the phone aside or take it off the hook, but sometimes you just need to! Blessings, Victoria, and I can’t wait to meet you at Allume!
Oh how true Leah. Loved this. Had me chuckling all the way through. We are learning to find our Sabbath rest even on Sunday’s. We don’t have a Sunday evening service so it allows us to take some family time. However, we are learning to guard that time or so many other things can come in and take over. Because I do so much writing I have to be mindful to unplug from the computer and my work there. For my husband, it’s setting his phone aside and taking time for himself. We usually end the day with a long walk around the field. We are continually learning the rhythms of rest and work. ~Victoria
Loved it! So true in every way. We try on Sunday nights to unwind by keeping a routine we’ve had for years. My hubby has made eggs to order every Sunday night since our kids were little. We come home from church get on comfy clothes, eat our eggs and watch an old movie or one that doesn’t require much thinking. 😉 The routine helps to relax us and get us ready for the week. Of course, it changes if there is a missionary or evangelist in town. If it’s a small family we have them over for eggs too. 😉