On Being a Sermon Illustration

Last Sunday (Easter Sunday), was particularly challenging to get the boys up and moving. Most days are an exercise in anger, but for whatever reason, last week had us leaving the house about five minutes before the service was going to start.

Spoiler alert: we live more than five minutes from the church.

So we arrive about 12 minutes after the service has started and, being Easter, the parking lot is jammed. So we have to search for a spot. Finally find one, park, and herd the grumpy family toward the sanctuary.

It. Is. Packed.

I collect our little pre-packaged communion cups and we head inside. Everyone is standing cheek to jowl singing. I spot a few singleton seats, but nothing that will accommodate our family of four. Or even let us split up into two and two. And honestly, after the morning of trying to get everyone there? I was over it.

So I herded us back out and as we got back into the foyer, I was like, "It's too crowded. We'll just leave." And I spotted a couple who usually sits near us coming as we were leaving and I smiled and said, "Good luck."

Eldest said, "Can I go my class instead then?" And then younger pipes up, "Me too!" And I was like, "Hubs, you go with (because the youth were all in one big group for Easter and I knew younger would need a little extra assistance in not being overstimulated)." So they trotted off and I took my annoyed-verging-on-raging self back to the car to sit.

At least it was a lovely day to sit in the car with the windows open.

Well, today we were back to our usual population. Hubs and I were back in our usual spot with the boys at their youth classes. And during the announcements, the executive pastor is talking about how full everything was last week. And then he talks about the family that left because they couldn't find a seat and how he heard them say "Good luck" to another couple as they left.

Ahem. Oops?

Then he went on to say how wonderful it'd be if it was crowded like that every week and...no? No it wouldn't be. I mean yay for visitors. Yay for people coming to know Jesus. But honestly, I don't go to a big church for a reason. If it starts getting like that every Sunday, it will make it much easier to decide what to do about staying vs going. 

I could maybe do a big church if I had a family who could be early places. But I do not have that family.