Preparing our hearts and homes for Sunday

Sunday, is my new favorite day of the week!  It's one day out of the week we get to slow down, worship with other believers, and spend time with family and friends.  I love going to church with my family.  There is something so intimate about spending time studying the Bible, and worshiping together with songs of praise and prayer with my family.   In fact I look forward to it more now, then I did a few years ago.

 I use to rush around Sunday morning, trying to get everyone ready.  Trying to find matches to socks,  looking for hair bows and tights, throwing all the dirty breakfast dishes in the sink and heading out the door.  By the time we got home from church, the kitchen was a mess, lunch wasn't prepared and the kids were hungry and tired!  I felt like going to church was a chore and almost dreaded it.   Then I heard a sermon about preparing our hearts for Sunday... He went on to say, it started with our homes.  We need to start preparing on Saturday, so we can clear our minds and hearts and be ready to worship in church without distractions.  This really got to me, and I realized I was going about it all wrong.  It made so much sense, why hadn't I taken these extra steps to prepare my home for Sunday?  Sure life is easier now, with my baby being 5 and my oldest almost a teenager.  They can get their own breakfast, dress themselves and almost fix their own hair.  Mothers with lots of little children at home, it does get easier!! 

Here are a few ways, we prepare on Saturday, so we can enjoy a more worship filled, relaxed Sunday as a family:

Saturday evening all the "little" kids must take their bath or shower.  There is no time for mom or dad to give baths on Sunday morning.  I like to pick out clothes the night before, but I cannot lie, this doesn't always happen.  My girls usually have an idea what they are going to wear the night before, especially if they are doing special music that week, and the boys, lets face it, they don't really care what they wear.   

I always make my food for Sunday's lunch on Saturday.  Usually my husband grills, and he makes extra for the week, like chicken for salads.

This week he made his famous BBQ ribs.  I prepared a coleslaw and homemade bread to go along with his ribs and we were all set.  The ribs will go in the crock pot on warm, before church and when we arrive home the house smells divine, and all I have to do is pull out the salad and slice the bread!  This, by the way, is our most favorite family Sunday meal!!

Coleslaw recipe, see below

 We decided last minute to have some friends over for Sunday lunch, but there were no worries, because the food was already prepared.  Okay, we did have to do some additional dusting and vacuuming, but other then that, we were ready.  I also like to set my table Saturday evening, then when we arrive home from church, all we have to do is sit down and eat.

Lastly, after breakfast, Sunday morning, the girls are responsible for emptying the dishwasher of all the clean dishes.  This way, when lunch is over, the boys (they usually do Sunday dishes), can load up all the dirty dishes right away and kitchen clean up goes pretty quick.  This leaves our afternoons open for relaxing and enjoying time together as a family after a busy week of work and home school.  Today, after our friends left, we headed out to the State Park for some fishing.

She was the only one to catch a fish and she was pretty happy!  If this is how we get to spend our Sunday afternoons, then preparing ahead of time is definitely worth the while!  From my home to yours...

♥ Shannon

Creamy Coleslaw Recipe
1 whole Head of cabbage
half of one onion diced (use red or yellow depending on how strong you like it)
4 large carrots peeled and diced
5 sliced radish's  (because they are in season and I have them in the garden)  optional

Creamy Dressing (I put a few recipes together and came up with this delicious creamy mix)
1 1/2 cup of mayo
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of sour cream
1-2 tbsp of white vinegar (to taste)

Chop cabbage, rinse and drain.  In large bowl combine cabbage, onion, carrots, and radish's.  In seperate bowl mix dressing together and add to veggie mix.  Mix well, salt and pepper. Place in fridge for 2 hrs, before serving.  Tastes best if you let set in fridge overnight.