I lounged a little too long in bed this morning, and the thought ran through my mind, I could miss church today (hubby dear is out of town) — but as the hour approached, and it was 30 min. before the start of Sacrament meeting, I remembered my words to my kids. “You need to take the Sacrament weekly, start anew, repent, have the Spirit of the Lord with you, and remember your covenants.”
I got dressed, in my $7 black skirt from Target and found a white eyelet blouse to dress it up, quickly shaved my legs, washed my face, brushed my teeth, put some makeup on, fixed my hair into a pony tail/bun, grabbed my scriptures/iphone and my soon-to-be 16-year old son, and drove to church.
Sometimes it’s alot like working out. If I put my clothes on, first thing, and just start the motions, I will follow through.
Mormons dress up a bit for church. Women wear dresses or skirts, no pants, no shorts. You don’t go in Hawaiian shirts and casual slacks or shorts. If you are a man, you wear a shirt and tie, slacks, even a suit. Twelve year-old boys wear a white dress shirt, tie and slacks, because they will pass the Sacrament as Deacons. The men and boys hold the Priesthood from age 12 up so, I guess you could say they dress accordingly.
Our Sacrament is like the Eucharist or Holy Communion. We renew our covenants to remember our Savior. We silently repent of all those “not so nice, not so pleasing” things we have done the previous week. We promise to remember Him. Mormons do this weekly — in a church meeting, called Sacrament Meeting — we need to repent often. 🙂
So, I made it.
And of course, there was a message for me. There is always a message, specific to me, when I go with an open heart, and not look too critically at Sister So-and-So’s funky earrings and 80’s hairstyle. Either a song, prayer, or talk has a message — even an answer to a concern, or fear, or freak-out I may be experiencing.
The rewards of the workout are good and the rewards of going to church are good.
I know this, even though somedays I find it difficult to get my feet moving. So, I am reminded in the words I have so often use with my kids, just get dressed…
then show up.
Funny, but the saying is true: “Eighty percent of success is showing up.”
Guess who said that? Woody Allen. See you can find truth in so many places, even Woody Allen who seems to have a problem with religion and God.
One my sons, getting ready for Church:
