A close friend and I were having a conversation about this exact issue over the Christmas break. Very interesting points. My children are not yet old enough to be involved in sports or other activities, but I know this will become a topic of discussion at our home in the future.
I don’t condemn others for their choices about church. There are many reasons people choose not to attend or to make it a regular part of their week. With two small children and no nursery, my husband and I have to mentally prep ourselves before we go. Not to mention, the battle to get kids dressed and arrive on time… Parents of small children might not find it worth it. They spend the WHOLE service trying to keep the kids quiet and in the pew. What did the pastor say??? Parents of older children battle with themselves and their child about other priorities.
Can we can find one hour a week to sit and absorb the message? I hope so.
WARNING: The following may make you uncomfortable…may even make you mad!
Last Sunday morning I found myself sitting on a soccer field with one of my children for a tournament game. It was a beautiful morning. The sun was shining. I was enjoying some fabulous coffee.
I was also experiencing great frustration and conflict. I was frustrated because I could count 20 families from our church who were also at sports games that morning. This meant that these families were not at church.
I was also conflicted as I reflected on how I got into this situation. My husband and I know the value of church family. We know that consistency is very important for our children to build relationships with their church family and to grow as disciples of Christ. We have made many decisions over the years to say “no” to other things in order to say “yes”…
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Laugh.Cry.Giggle.Smile. 