Why Easter is my Favorite Holiday

Easter.  No gifts for adults.  No pumpkin pie.  No twinkle lights upon the tree.

And yet, it is my absolute favorite holiday.  As Easter approaches, my heart fills with the joy that Christmas magic brings to children each year.  Though the week will be extremely busy, I anxiously anticipate Holy Week for a couple of reasons.

You see, first, it is the one time of the year where I feel like the church really acts like the family they should be.  Our focus turns to the One who should have our focus constantly and we are reminded of the reason we all gather in the first place - because of the love of Christ.  Second, because of that focus, there is a beautiful reverence we sometimes lack throughout the year. 

Yes, Christmas does the same thing on a certain level.  However, do to the demands of the world, everyone is busy, rushing around like ants at a picnic.  During Christmas, church is usually reserved for Christmas Eve.  

For some churches, this may also be true at Easter - a lot of rushing around for a big service on Easter Sunday.  But our church does things differently this time of year.  

It starts Maundy Thursday as we gather for the Sader Meal and foot washing.  Admittedly, I am not a huge fan of foot washing.  However, it serves a significant purpose - a reminder of how we are to be a servant for all, just as Christ has been for us.  My favorite part of the evening is the Sader Meal - a brief glimpse at the history and tradition that our Savior personally participated in!!  Though we have been attending this service for years (both now and at the church I grew up in) - I still love talking about the significance that each piece of the meal represents.  Everything they did was intentional.  When did we lose that!?!  I am so excited to share this tradition with Little Miss when she is a bit older, to teach her how significant the reverence of the night is as we conclude with a candle light service.

Then Good Friday arrives.  This night holds special significance for me personally.  Our church goes to a production of the Easter story each year....an hour north at the church I grew up in, the church where I accepted Christ as my Savior and was first welcomed, wholeheartedly, into the family of God.  It is the one time of the year that I have two of my church families together in one place.  And my heart soars because of that.  It reminds me that one day we will all be together again, in one place, worshipping the Lord.

The retelling of the Easter story never gets old for me either.  Though I have seen and participated in the same play for years and years....and years....it still reminds me of the sacrifice Christ made for us - that because of His scars I am free!!!  And as Little Miss grows, I cannot wait to tell her about all the behind-the-scenes shenanigans, about why I was brought to tears on that very stage, and about how THIS story is HER story - that Christ went through all of that (and more) so that SHE could have freedom and eternal life with Him.  This year, I imagine the animals will be the highlight.  And she will love the children and the singing.  But as each year passes, she will understand more and more.

And last, but not least, comes Easter Sunday.  We have two services with breakfast between.  Since each service is different, we attend both - we never want to miss an opportunity to worship the Lord as one body.  I am glad, however, that the first service is no longer at sunrise.  That means I get plenty of beauty sleep and I get to enjoy extra time in the house of the Lord.  There is just something different in the air on Easter morning - maybe it is just my heart.  But there is a reverence, a joy, a heightened awareness of the Spirit that all too often goes unnoticed.

So I guess in conclusion, Easter is my favorite because it gives me a glimpse of what it will be like one glorious day.  The Church will come together as a whole - united as one.  We will forever and always be reverent and joyful in the light of His glory and grace.  And we will never forget, even for a moment, the Greatest Story Ever Told, we will never forget just how much He loves us.

When Easter comes around each year, I feel like we remember all of that, if only for a moment.  We worship together as one, there is reverence and awe and recognition of who He is.

Wouldn't it be great if every Sunday were like that?

The choice is mine.  

The Truth Is....

Here in America, it is so easy to fall into "the grass is greener" trap.  It is increasingly difficult for us to ever be content.  We are an instant gratification society.  Everything needs to happen right now, right away.  We are self-centered and self-righteous.  We think we deserve things just because...well....just because we....are. 

But that couldn't be further from the truth.  In fact, the truth is that "the grass isn't always greener" even though it looks like it might be.  The truth is that delayed gratification (learning to wait) is much better for you.  The truth is that we should be focused on others instead of ourselves.  The truth is that we don't deserve a thing.

Because we get all of that backwards, we tend to grumble and complain because we just aren't thankful for what we do have.

And let me tell you what, we all have much to be thankful for.  Yes, even if we're living on the street, abandoned by every last family member and friend, we still have much to be thankful for.

You see....

The truth is - God shows his lovingkindness toward us every single day.  And, when we accept His gift of salvation, He saves us from the depths of Hell.  And the truth is, we don't deserve it.

David points these things out in Psalm 86:

12 I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,

And will glorify Your name forever.

13 For Your lovingkindness toward me is great

And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol

This is the reason we should be thankful!

Every.

Single.

Day.

Ever single moment!

Because He loves us so much, God literally snatches ('delivers' Strong's H5337) our souls from the hand of the devil.  Because of that, we never have to see, we never have to live through the eternal destruction of Hell.

It is absolutely beautiful isn't it?

Especially when we have done nothing to deserve it...

The Truth: Prayer for Longing

Psalm 84:1-4
1 How lovely are Your dwelling places,
O Lord of hosts!
2 My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.
3 The bird also has found a house,
And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young,
Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts,
My King and my God.
4 How blessed are those who dwell in Your house!
They are ever praising You.

We can be so very grateful that we have access to the presence of God at all times.  We don't have to be in the Holy of Holies.  We don't have to be a priest or a Levite.  He is ours.  Or rather, we are His.  He is here with us!  

But still, can't you relate to these words?  They are full of passion, full of yearning.  I know I have felt this way.  Yes, God's presence is here all the time.  No, I don't have to be in a church.  But sometimes I don't feel God's presence like I do at other times.  And I yearn for Him to be near...much like the words of this song:

..."for dark is light to You
the depths are height to You
far is near, but Lord I need to hear from You

Be near Oh God,
Be near Oh God....." (Be Near, Shane & Shane)

We should constantly want to be in His presence, to yearn for His embrace.  Our hearts are made to long for Him.  Much like a baby bird longs for its mother....

I would like to lift up a prayer for all of you today:

Father,

You are good.  You are wonderful and full of love for each of us.

I pray right now that You would fill me and each individual reading this with a yearning to be in Your presence, with a desire to have You near.  Hold us close, Father, and make Your presence known in a powerful way.  I know sometimes I feel like You are so far away, that my words are bouncing off the ceiling.  And sometimes I even feel like You don't care.  I pray that You would rid those thoughts from my mind.  And if anyone else reading these words feels like I do, please do the same for them.  Remind us that You are here.  You are always here.

Thank You for loving us so much that You made it possible to have access to You at all times.  Thank You for caring enough to listen to and answer our prayers.  Thank You for Your presence.

In Jesus Name,
        Amen

An Apology to 50 Shades of Grey Fans

Dear Friend,

I realized today that some of the things I have posted about 50 Shades of Grey came across as judgmental.  That was absolutely never my intent.  I am so sorry you felt that way.  You see, judging is forming an opinion or conclusion about someone or something.  I love you.  My opinion of you has not changed.  You hold the same place in my heart that you always have.  I think no less of you.  I am also sorry that I made the issue strictly about 50 Shades of Grey and made it seem like I was attacking you.  I shouldn't have done that.  The issue is much larger than that and it compasses our entertainment industry as a whole.  Please don't stop reading.  Please give me a chance to come alongside you and walk with you for a moment. 

My intent in posting those articles was to help others, to help you, see why it might not be the best decision.  I wanted to help at least one person avoid the destructiveness that I fell into in my past.

Did you read those articles?  Or just get offended that I posted them?  I was hoping that you would actually read them.  They were wholesome, non-judgmental articles written to come alongside others and help them on the narrow, bumpy road we are walking.  They weren't written to hurt you and I didn't post them to hurt you.  I am so sorry that you felt judged.

My heart is broken over the whole situation.  I know you don't feel the same way that I do, but I think Satan has won with this one. I have had to ask myself the questions below about certain TV shows, books, and movies that I enjoyed.  And after answering them honestly, and truly listening to the Holy Spirit, I changed my thought process.  As noted earlier, this should not be applied to just 50 Shades of Grey, there is a much bigger issue at hand here.  It should be applied to all of the entertainment we allow in our lives.  When reading these questions please, first apply them to all of the entertainment in your life, not just 50 Shades.  And second, please be honest with yourself.  

1. At any point while you are reading the book/watching the movie/show do you feel a little bit uncomfortable, do you blush?  This, undoubtedly, is the Holy Spirit's nudging.  When you get that feeling in your chest that something might not be right...it usually isn't.  And the Holy Spirit is trying to tell you so.  I used to watch Orange is the New Black until I realized I had this feeling in my chest, an uncomfortable feeling, almost every time I watched it.  The Holy Spirit was telling me it wasn't such a great idea.

2. Do you get turned on at any point while reading or watching?  And, yes, I mean that kind of turned on.  If so, it is probably not a choice Christ would be okay with.  Being aroused is something that should be for our spouses alone.  I absolutely hate the idea of my husband being aroused by anything other than me.  Porn is porn.  It doesn't have to be visual.  "Girl" porn is written and I know, first hand, how addicting and destructive it can be.  I haven't read 50 Shades of Grey in its entirety but I have read enough excerpts to know that the words in those pages would turn me on.  And I wouldn't be thinking about my husband.  That is, absolutely not, what Christ intended for our sexuality.

3.  It is cliche - but would you read the book / watch the movie/show if Christ were sitting in the room with you?  Yes, He loves everyone.  Yes, He spent a lot of time with sinners.  But because He loved those sinners, because He loves me and you - He never allows us to stay where we are.  His response to those that came before Him with questionable activities was "Go and sin no more."  

Or, think about the person you admire most because of their faith.  Think of the person that you know Christ would be extremely proud of.  Would you invite them to come see the movie?  Or tell them they should read the book?  Another show I used to watch a lot was Weeds.  And I don't think you would argue with me if I said  there was no way I would invite my pastor or mentor to come have a watch party.

Or, is it something that the church youth group should go see in theaters?  Or would that make you a bit uncomfortable?  There are plenty of movies (outside of the Christian realm) that I would be okay sending our church youth to see.  But there are some movies that I have seen that I would be outraged if the youth group decided to go.....I think 50 Shades might be one of those....why?  You tell me.

Please hear me when I say that I am in no way judging you.  My heart hurts for you, because I've been there.  I have justified the shows I was watching, the books I was reading, by saying that it was just fiction, that it wasn't really about that but about the greater story of true love or the power to overcome or whatever the plot may actually be.  I had a right to read what I wanted, to watch what I wanted. 

And, I hate to say it, but those images (whether written or seen) are hard, if not impossible, to ever forget.  And that truly isn't fair to my husband.  Christ intended our marriage bed to be pure, only us - I shouldn't be thinking about the book I read earlier and he shouldn't be thinking about that scene in Sons of Anarchy that he just watched....it should be the two of us as one.  How can we be one if we're not even thinking about each other?  How can we be one if I am turned on by a book more than I am my own husband?

I know these are issues.  Because I personally struggle with them.  I hope I have, at least, helped you see where I was coming from.  I was not judging.  I was only trying to help others avoid the trap that I fell into.

I am sorry that it did not come across that way.

Seek & Save the Lost - You're Doing it Wrong

Now, first and foremost, I am not an expert at saving the lost, by any means.  In fact, in my process of growth and learning, I've probably scared a few of the "lost" away.  But every once in awhile, I stumble across an "evangelism" tool that just misses the mark entirely.  And I can't, even for a second, fathom how they arrived at their methods.

Picture this for a moment: Father's Day Sunday.  We're headed to my Mom-in-Law's church (while visiting family in Michigan).  As we pass another church I notice there are a few people holding signs on the corner.  The largest sign, professionally made, bright yellow, reads:

Thank your DAD today for NOT being GAY!

My jaw hit the floor.  You are doing it wrong.  That isn't helping.  Who thought this was a good idea?  Stop it...just....

My point now isn't about the homosexuality debate.  I don't even want to get into that here.  My point is about reaching those who are lost.  No matter what side of the issue you choose, this just won't do it!  All that does is scream hate!  Not the "you don't agree with me" kind of hate but real, legitimate, no-doubt-about-it, HATE.  And hate has never won a single person to Christ.  Not one.

Now some of you may be asking - why is this hate?  It belittles.  It criticizes.  It is harsh.  It is unforgiving.  The list goes on.  Ephesians 4 lays out how we are supposed to behave - "Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:1-3).

Humility.  Gentleness.  Patience.  Tolerance in love.  Diligent in preserving peace.

That sign, those protesters, embodied none of the above.  They exuded only hate.

But we are called to love.  Because Christ first loved us (1 John 4:19).  And He loved us while we were still sinners  - "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

Do you think someone needs Jesus?  Do you think they are trapped in sin?  Are they living a life outside of the will of God?

Love them.  Walk alongside them.  Cherish them.  Pull them in.

Do not: hate, badger, belittle, put down, shame, etc.

God will love them SO much that He won't let them stay where they are.

I'm sorry to those to which that sign was targeted.  I'm sorry to those who have been victim to other protests of the like.  I'm sorry for some people's misrepresentation of the Gospel.

God is love.  He will love you where you are.  No matter what.  And He loves you so much that He won't let you stay there.  Thank goodness for that!

Christians - Why Can't We All Get Along? Why Must We Criticize?

The past couple of weeks I have seen a few things I'm not proud of.  And, frankly, that have upset me a bit.

Christians belittling other Christians or ministry avenues.

Not cool.

First of all, I was shocked to see a select group of Christians berating the movie God's Not Dead.  Yes, I know it wasn't perfect and there were extreme stereotypes.  And no, maybe taking someone to the movies isn't the best form of evangelism...but maybe it is.  You see, in my opinion, you telling me I shouldn't see the movie because of reasons x, y, and z could keep me from aiding someone else's walk with the Lord.  

Now, I need to clarify,  Movies like the recent Noah, should be brought to the spotlight for what they aren't - a remotely accurate Biblical interpretation.  If movies are seriously taking Scripture out of context, then yes, tell everyone.  Don't encourage it.  But if a movie just has a few tiny things you might not agree with, like extreme stereotypes of atheists, or if you think it might, then let it be.  Please, if you haven't seen a movie like this yourself, keep your opinion to yourself.

I saw God's Not Dead this weekend, and while it still has a tiny bit of that cheesy Christian feel, I loved it.  Christian films have come a looooong way from back in the day!  And I know, for a fact, that it really strengthened the faith of a few that have seen it, including young ones.  And if the movie did that for only one person, it would be worth it wouldn't it??  It would be worth if for that Christian who is riding on the fence to be moved enough to get off the fence.  It would be worth it for that child who has kept their faith to themselves to be able to share it with their friends or family...even if it was a simple text message.

I really don't believe that the movie gives anyone any false perceptions of anything as I was led to believe by a few articles posted, not Muslims, not atheists, not young people trying to defend their faith.  That movie is changing lives.  Whether you want to believe it or not, God is using it!  Because it is Good!  

Who are you to get in the way of that?  To tell people that they shouldn't go see the movie?  How many people that could have been changed for the better were stopped because you convinced someone to not go to the movie?  Sometimes, instead of getting on our soap box (which I know I do myself sometimes...probably on one now actually), we should look at the bigger picture.  Sometimes our soap box can become a road block for others.  

After talking to others that have seen this movie, I just couldn't get past all the things I had "heard" from other Christians about how horrible it was.  And I had to get this off of my chest.

Okay...done with that rant.  Moving onto rant #2.

I stumbled across a Facebook group, on accident, that was specifically for a certain "type" of Christian.  You see, we're categorized sometimes by the things we believe.  And I'm okay with that.  What I'm not okay with, is a discussion (that was obviously public enough for me to see) about why the "other" group of Christians would or could ever believe a certain thing.

Pause for a second here for an interjection.  I have often wondered these same things myself.  And I have asked the very same question. But I have done so privately and without condemning the other side.

That was not the case this time around.  The conversation was public on Facebook.  And it was not civil.  The "other" side was made to sound uneducated and naive.  It was like they were poking fun instead of trying to honestly learn (which was probably the original intent of the question).  

My heart hurts because of this.  Why can't Christians just get along??  When we fight each other we aren't fixing any thing.  We're just hurting ourselves and giving the world a poor view of who Christ is.  Yeah, you might think your soap box is worth the argument, but in the end...is it helping or hindering?  Is it really worth it.  And, yeah, sometimes those small things can become big issues.  I stand firm when it comes to such things.  But some of those small things are really just small things.  Let...it....go.

Let's all make some effort to get off of our soap boxes and to really love all of the other Christians - no matter what subcategory they might fall into.  Let's keep our theology arguments to private messages.  And let's not get in the way of true a ministry opportunity...even if we might not fully agree with it.

My View from Up Front

Today at church I realized how privileged and blessed I am to be able to stand up front while we worship.  I have been a part of a praise team off and on in different capacities for probably the last 10 years.  And somehow, it took me this long to realize how awesome of an experience that is.

And it isn't awesome because of the reasons you might think.  It isn't awesome because I'm up front for all to see (quite frankly, this is my least favorite part).  It isn't awesome because I get to hold a microphone.  It isn't awesome because everyone gets to hear me sing harmony.  It isn't awesome because I get to help pick out the songs.

Being up front, facing the congregation, is awesome (and I am not using that word lightly) because I get to see things that most everyone else never even notices - a secret window if you would...

As greeting time comes to an end, I see our congregation laughing and hugging, old friends as well as new strangers.


I see hands raised in the back, a woman lost in the presence of our Lord.

I see an older couple, close to 70 years of marriage, holding hands throughout the service.

I see friends leaving their seats in the middle of service and making their way back to sit with a girl they just met so that she doesn't have to sit alone.

I see tears of joy and sadness silently shed as testimonies are shared by others.

I see our entire congregation, young and old, come forward to anoint and pray for the needs of our community.

I see friends and family go to the altar and lay their needs at the feet of the Lord.

I see a beautiful young lady with down syndrome worship fully uninhibited - opening her heart up, lifting her hands, singing at the top of her lungs (even if she only gets one or two notes right), and sometimes dancing - completely and 100% in the presence of God.

I see lives being changed and hearts being touched.  I see Jesus.

And I don't know how I missed it all of this time. 

Another Life

I've got two days left in the week to fulfill my goal of two posts a week.  haha.  I can do this right!?!  

This week, for a lot of reasons, I have been thinking quite a bit.  Yep, more so than usual.  Scary isn't it?  :P  If you could live another life, how would it be different?

Now I want to clarify - I absolutely love my life.  God has surprised me in so many ways and has taught me so much.  I wouldn't ask to be anywhere else than where I'm at right now.  But it is always fun to wonder what my life would have been like if I had been a different person.  What would my life look like if I hadn't wanted to be a mom? If I hadn't decided that small town life was what I craved?

I like to think my life would have led to Broadway.  I absolutely love to sing.  God has given me a talent that I love to use - especially in the kitchen or the shower....  hehe.  Every once in awhile I put in my Wicked soundtrack and sing at the top of my lungs.  I may not be Idina Menzel but the dishes in my kitchen sink would never know my skin isn't painted a lovely shade of green!  I close my eyes and go to the zone.  Broadway doesn't know what they are missing!  Picture it with me:

I decide to skip college and take dancing classes (because, trust me, I need them).  Then, once I've figured out exactly how to use these two foreign objects other people call feet, I will move to New York City, living with 5-10 other people (because who can afford an apartment there?) - all of us trying to make it big.  I'd take a job at a diner as a waitress, entertaining guests with intermitent singing and hastily choreographed dance routines.  One day, a producer walks through the door and he is amazed by my unswerving talent.  I start training for Broadway's next #1 show the following day.  My name is on signs as tall as buildings, right in the middle of Time Square!  Say goodbye to multiple roommates and late night shifts - I have made it!

haha.  Yeah right.  First of all, there's no way I would survive more than a night or two in NYC.  I am not made for the city....at...all.  Second, and probably more importantly, even Anna Pavlova could not teach me how to dance.  My brain and my feet just don't communicate.  I walk into walls and trip over air - add any obstacles and your asking for trouble.  Its like watching a syfy movie on a low budget - it just hurts.  But seriously, I decided a long time ago that God and family would come first in my life.  Broadway just doesn't fit that bill for me.  I want to be home more than I'm away.  I don't want to have to choose between my career and my kids or my husband.  I don't need the added pressure and temptation that fame brings to get in the way of my relationship with the Lord.  That isn't the life I was called to.

But in another life...I'd be all over that!  ;)

But this life, the one I'm actually living, not the one in a New York diner, still has potential for me to live out a dream.  There is another part of me that desperately wants to write a book.  Which is why I love writing these blog posts to begin with!  I want to be a world-changer, a life-changer.  I want to open people's eyes to what lies between the lines of Scripture - I want to show them what comes to the surface when you take the time to do your research.  I want people to get excited about something they've read 100 times before and just missed.  God's word is at our fingertips and so often it becomes just another book that sits on the shelf and gets dusty.  And even if we read it everyday it is so easy to just read the words and go through the motions.  Those words should bring life to every person that reads them - they should set a fire to the soul!  I want to help make that happen!  So someday, just maybe, you will walk into a Christian bookstore and my name will be there in a pretty feminine print on the end cap.  It might not be a playbill or a giant sign in Times Square...but it would still be pretty awesome!  We shall see what God has in store... 

No matter what, I'm happy.  And no matter what, my goal each day is to live a life God would be proud of.  It might not happen everyday, but I keep trying.  Every morning brings a new day.  And every day brings a new start. 

Paul said it best, "I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus" - Philippians 3:14

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you could dream up a different life, practical or not, what would it look like?  

or

What dreams do you have that could maybe, just possibly, happen someday?

Every Moment

Yep, it is that time again.  The time of year when you look back and reflect upon all of the craziness of the past year.  A whole year!  How can you fit that into a 140 character tweet or a Facebook status or even a blog post?

Every day things change.  Every moment brings a choice, big or small, and those choices change the course of history.  This past year for Hubby and I has been overwhelmingly joyous and difficult.  Some changes brought laughter and fond memories.  Other changes brought pain and tears.  But through it all I am amazingly thankful for a few things:

1. That God has been with us through it all.

I can honestly say that without this assurance, without the complete knowledge of His presence and love I would have not gotten through the past year the past couple of months without Him.  Regrettably, because of some changes and poor choices on my part, my time with Him has been lax and less than ideal.  And I miss that.  I have grown so much but I know that if I had daily been in His word, daily setting aside time to be with just Him that I would have grown so much more. Thankfully, He loves me anyways.  How amazing is that!?!

2. Our marriage is stronger.

Between the good and the bad, I can definitely say that Hubby and I are better because of it.  We have made some major life changes and decisions this past year - from uprooting our lives, jobs and all, to starting the process of buying our first home, things have been stressful to say the least.  But I feel like we are closer than ever.  In the past few months we have actually attended two separate couples classes.  While I can't give you bullet points of what we have learned (without looking at my notes anyways), I can tell you that we fight better (and less) and we are both a little less selfish.  

3. Friends and family.

I don't know how people survive with only surface relationships.  I cannot imagine going through life without true connections.  God has given us a wealth of amazing people in our lives.  We wouldn't be here today without their love and support.  We have been given laughter, shoulders to cry on, and free labor!  ;)  And so very much more.

I am so, so excited for the year to come!  We have hopes and plans but I know God's probably got different ones.  ;)  But regardless of what the future holds, I can continually strive to make every moment better.

So as of today, I commit to:

• Laugh more.  Essentially that means more intentional time with friends and family.  Because let's face it, the laughter they bring me is much more authentic than anything TV or Facebook has to offer...
• Do more.  Staying with the idea of less TV and Facebook I want to get outdoors and away from screens.  Being healthier means being active.
• Breath more.  Worry less.  I need to remember, in the heat of the moment, just exactly Who holds me and my future.
• Write more.  God has given me a passion and, dare I say, a talent, to write.  I need to use it more than every once in awhile.  I need to use it often.  He has given me talents for reasons I may not even know.  How can He use my talents if I never do?  Going to give it my best!

 .........

What about you?  What are you thankful for in the past year?  And how are you going to better yourself in the coming year?

Bringing Change

I am taking a moment today to bring change.  I regularly shop at Family Christian.  I am a "catalyst" member and often shop there for gifts and books.  I love the selection they have as well as the sales and coupons they offer.  I do not, however, love the fact that they are open on Sundays.  After discovering this little tid-bit of information, it kept eating at me.  It isn't right.  A Christian company, a Christian non-profit ministry, that is based in retail is open on Sundays?  Something just didn't sit right.  I talked to a couple of employees and discovered that it is very frowned upon among most of the employment (understandably right?).  I asked if I could write the company and they told me to check the website but they were sure it wouldn't do any good.  But if no one does anything, if no one takes a stand, it will never change.  Therefore, I came home today and drafted an e-mail.  After reading it over a few times I sent it out. 

I am asking you to do three things today.

1. Do not, under any circumstances, shop at Family Christian on a Sunday.  I have been tempted when I know I need to grab a gift and I could be at the store in under 5 minutes.  But it isn't worth it.  If I go in there on a Sunday, I am telling the employees that are there that their time at work is more valuable than their time with their families.  I am telling them that I don't care that they have to work on a Sunday.  I am giving them a reason to be away from their family and their church family, a reason to not rest.
2. Share this blog with all of your Facebook friends and anyone else you can think of.  Get them on board.
3. Send Family Christian an e-mail or write them a letter.  Here is their customer service contact information:
• Family Christian
  5300 Patterson Ave SE
  Grand Rapids, MI 49530
  customerservice@familychristian.com
   

I have copy and pasted my e-mail below and I'm giving you permission to use it.  Copy and paste it right into your own e-mail, change the personal information, add or take out anything that you would like, and send it out.  The more mail they get (electronic or otherwise) the more likely they will listen.  The squeaky wheel gets oiled right? 

Dear Family Christian,

It has recently come to my attention that you are open on Sundays.  When I discovered this I was baffled.  Why would a Christian company be open on Sundays?  But I quickly remembered that you were a for-profit organization and I dismissed it, though I still thought it inappropriate.  Then I received an e-mail letting me know that 100% of your profits are now being given.  Through this e-mail it was brought to my attention that in late 2012 you became a non-profit ministry.  While this is an exciting feat, it leaves me wondering why it is necessary to remain open on Sundays, even if it is only for a few hours.  There are organizations such as Hobby Lobby and Chick-fil-A that are "for-profit" and do not have the word "Christian" in their name, yet are still closed on Sundays.  Truett Cathy, the owner of Chick-Fil-A says being closed on Sundays says two things: "One, that there must be something special about the way Chick-fil-A people view their spiritual life and, two, that there must be something special about how Chick-fil-A feels about its people" (emphasis added). 

That quote in itself should be enough to make Family Christian reevaluate their need to be open on Sundays, but I would like to expound.  Years ago there was not a single place open on Sundays, but in our wealth driven society, things slowly started to change.  And sadly, Christians stood by and allowed it to happen.  We even made it a habit to go out to eat as soon as service let out, encouraging this new found way of thinking.  Now, instead of being a day for family and God, Sundays have become just another day to make money and to spend time at work instead of at home or church.  What is it saying to the world if you are no different than the store next door?  You do not stand out nor are you set apart, you are just like the fallen world, you have lost the saltiness you so desperately need.  What does it say to people driving by that your store is open on Sunday?  Or your customers?  Or your employees?  To me, it says you do not value your employees enough to give them one single day of rest and time to be with their church and family.  To me it says you are more about money and less about faith.

Yes, we have already entered into the Sabbath, into His rest.  But God still commanded us to have a day of rest, which you are not doing as a company.  It is not good for man to not rest.  What kind of an example are you setting for your employees and customers? Even when God created the world, He took a day to rest.  He set the example for us, now it is time for us to set the example for the world.

I, Brianna Sherman, am calling you out today, holding you accountable.  I believe that Family Christian should take a step of faith and close their doors on Sundays.  See how God will bless your efforts at preserving a Sabbath, a day for God, family, and rest.  Instead of being a part of the world and mainstream society, make an effort to be different, to be set apart.  Be the salt and light, set the example for the rest of the world.

Sincerely, a Catalyst Member,

Brianna Sherman