Getting Ready

I may fall into the “stereotypical” girl genre here but I love getting ready to go somewhere.  I’ve always thought it was fun to get dressed up, fix my hair, and spray on my favorite body spray.  I get excited over finding earrings that match an outfit perfectly and I do love a new pair of shoes.  However, I knew before moving to Madagascar that some of this would indeed change – no high heels were even brought over the ocean J!  I don’t know if I was prepared for what the Lord would teach me through it though…  

    

It’s Sunday morning here in our new home of Tulear.  Imagine not even desiring to turn on the hot water in the shower because you’re already hotter than you’ve ever wanted to be.  Once you get out of the shower, you start sweating and the only time you stop is if you happen to be sitting in front of a fan somewhere.   After almost a week here, I’ve learned that it’s not even worth wasting the makeup to attempt to put some on my face.  I’ve also learned that a ponytail/bun is definitely the way to go – all the hair up – all the time – only way to do it here!  In regards to Ryleigh, I’m also figuring out that pretty white dresses are probably not going to work – considering the churches have dirt floors.    In actuality, anything that she wears is going to have dirt stains on it no matter how careful I could try to be.  I say all of this because it’s truthfully what was going through my head Sunday morning as we were trying to “get ready” for church.

As we sat on the wooden benches, with our 1 year old daughter playing on the dirt floor, listening to beautiful Malagasy worship songs, the Lord spoke to me.  He started showing me how I truly need to be paying more attention to getting my heart ready for worship – not my outward appearance (or my daughter’s).  Of course it’s nice to be dressed up and to feel good about yourself but that’s not what going to church is for – it’s for worship with a body of believers, it’s for the glory of Him.

It’s easy for me sometimes (okay maybe more than just sometimes) to get caught up in small details that truly don’t matter.  Instead of being frustrated about the heat or thinking about how I won’t be wearing my hair down to church…ever…I’ll be spending that time with my family preparing our hearts for church.  I found myself thanking Him for the heat and all of the differences church in Tulear brings to our family…these things have helped me focus on Him.  He has a way of teaching me lately about all the things I try to make about me…about Him.

The heat will take some getting used to, and I feel confident there are quite a few more adjustments we’ll be making in the days to come…but perhaps that’s exactly what I need – I have a Father who makes sure I’m looking more and more like Him every day.

I look forward to teaching my daughter what “getting ready” for church should really look like.