Lionel Richie and Reality

Children.

You gotta love them.

But I have a bone to pick with Lionel Richie. You see, for some reason he thinks Sunday mornings are "easy." Yesterday I was in my car and his song with the Commodores, "Easy Like a Sunday Morning," came on the radio and it got me thinking - I don't know that I've ever had an easy Sunday morning. At least not while all the children were home.

You moms know what I am talking about - little ones dressed, fed, shoes on, faces wiped, teeth brushed, coats on and buckled in their car seats. Oh, and don't forget their Bibles! And of course, we always had to be at church an hour or so early because of choir or teaching or prayer meeting. (Notice I didn't even mention dressing or feeding myself!) Bottom line: there's nothing easy about any of that.

So what in the world is Lionel singing about? Apparently he didn't raise six children that did church every Sunday.

Well, gals, I'm here to tell you that while Sunday morning may not ever be labeled "easy" in your life, it can be "easier." It's all about planning ahead. I have a few tips for you to make Sunday morning a lot easier:

• I think the Lord was on to something when He made the Sabbath day a day of rest - no working, no traveling and no cooking. I have found that when I prepare Sunday dinner on Saturday, the craziness that happens after church is minimized. Make your lasagna or meatloaf, throw your chicken or pot roast in the crock pot, brown your meat for tacos or shape your burgers and then store it in the fridge on Saturday. Sunday morning, turn on the crock pot, or set the timer on your oven, or when you get home, just fire up the grill - don't try to prepare anything before church. It will take up valuable time.
• Bathe the children the night before - common sense. A splash of water and a brush should handle any crazy hair and if your child is musical, bed head is fashionable for future hipsters.
• Lay out the children's clothes the night before - not only on Sunday but every day can go smoother if you make this decision the night before - no Sunday morning surprises. It's a lot easier to solve the "I can't find my Sunday shoes" issue on Saturday night than on Sunday morning. Even your husband's clothes can be laid out - this will most definitely save time!
• Put out breakfast bowls and cereal before you go to bed - the kids can feed themselves when they are up and dressed, or if you still need to feed them, it's ready when you come into the kitchen. Be sure everyone puts their own dishes in the sink - a good rule all week long.
• Plan on getting up and dressed before the children, so if they need you, you are already in good shape for church. If they are doing fine on their own, sit at the kitchen counter with a cup of coffee and read a Psalm to prepare your heart for worship that morning!
• The night before, find Bibles and put them on the kitchen counter, ready to be grabbed when it's time to go.
• Also, find your car keys and put them with your Bibles and purse - a great time saver.
• And finally, remember that Momma's mood sets the tone for the day - if you are harried and stressed, the children will wake up cranky and slow. But if you have a song on your lips and a smile on your face, they will wake up feeling loved and excited for the day...

For the prepared mother, Sunday morning can be relatively easy and think of the benefits of preparing for the morning rush - imagine a smooth morning, no tears, no fights over clothes, no looking for car keys. The family gets ready and in the car with ease. By the time you get to church, your heart is in a much better condition for worship, don't you think?

And gals, we have a lot of wisdom that read this blog. I would love to hear any of your Sunday Morning Secrets - throw them in the comments section...

Oh, and Lionel, if you're out there and reading this, Sunday mornings at my house are easy because we all are anxious to get to the same place - our church! I would love to have you come by and visit some time...www.harvestspringlake.org. Hope to see you there!