I Can't Put My Arms Down

Do you remember the scene from "The Christmas Story", you know the Red Rider BB Gun movie. The scene where the kids are preparing to go out in the snow to walk to school, and the mom has bundled up the little brother to the point that through the muffled screaming you here, "I can't put my arms down!" And sure enough he has so many layers that his arms are sticking straight out.

Well there was a similar scene at my house this morning. As I prepared Ella Grace for school, I know she would open the door and not want to go because of the lovely one degree windchill we were blessed with today. So being the prepared like a boyscout Dad that I am, I proceeded to begin the layering process. Thickest tights in the drawer - check. Long-sleeve shirt - check. Good thick blue jeans - check. Sweater - check. Winter boots - check. Michelin-man style parka - check. Ear warmer - check. Scarf - check. Gloves - check. And yes of course we topped it all of with a "fabulous" over sized hair bow.

By the time I was able to get her moving towards the car....You guessed..."Dad, I have to go potty!" Ah, yes, I knew it was coming. I mean I had only asked three times before we started and once after every new layer, but who's counting! So, ten minutes later we are re-layered and headed for the car when I realize she seems to be moving a bit awkwardly and the traps on her car seat are snug like an old mans belt after Thanksgiving dinner.

It was at this point that I began to laugh o myself and then think how crazy we start to get over a little bit of cold air. Most of the country is dealing with subzero temperatures and several feet of snow, but for us the cold air is enough to make us prepare for going out like we're going to compete in the Ididarod. (You know the big snow dog race in Alaska, come on stay up people)

As this thought stuck with me for the day, I began to question this entire idea of preparation. We are willing to go out and let the cars warm up for twenty minutes so our seats are warm on the way to work, to take an extra thirty minutes finding hats and gloves and layering up so we can be out in the cold for the ten seconds between door and car, and we would never think of letting the kids out of the house on a day like this with even a centimeter of skin exposed to the cold.

I see all this prep-work going in to simply being able to function, yet how much preparation do we do to get ready to enter the presence of God? It seems to me that we are so rushed and full of stress and anxiety that we barely have time to catch out breath before worship is over and we're right back at it.

I want to challenge all those crazy enough to read my ramblings: Take time, starting today, to prepare for worship with God on Sunday. I'm serious! Start today thinking about the offering of sacrifice and  praise that you will bring before God in five days. I have found that the times when I not only prepare to teach and preach but also prepare to worship - just the stuff between me and God - when I prepare my heart for that hour on Sunday morning - my experience is extraordinary! So be selfish this week. Ask God to be there just for you. Tell Him what you will bring and what you hope He will bring to you. Begin preparing now and let's see if on Sunday, He so fills you with the Holy Spirit that you won't be able to put your arms down either!