Sunday Best

As I begin each day I spend a great deal of time getting clean, groomed, decorated and properly clothed. This to go to work, where I will sweat, be in constant contact with unmentionables and certainly will collect a stain or two to my hand picked outfit. By the end of the day make up is no longer in it's original location or state, but rubbed about to highlight less desirable features. All in a days work.

What is the benefit of this morning ritual? The first few people think I look very nice, but by mid-day they think I look tired and as I egress to the car some ask if I feel okay. And this causes me to chuckle as some days I am not sure myself. But all in all I don't mind the disheveled condition in which I leave work as I feel it is worth the mess. It feels good.

Then there are those times where I don't want to paint the barn or put on the dry cleaned outfits. I want to just relax, be comfortable. This is nice, but upon reflection, it may appear that I am placing less effort for one activity more than others. This can cause observers to say that it appears one group of people is more important than others. I make less effort for some. Hmmm.

And what about Sunday? I grew up in a liturgical world. Dresses, hats, gloves, shiny leather shoes and proper manners. Sears Finishing School, I know where all the silverware goes and what it is used for. I made the most charming appearance upon attending those great houses of worship. The question would be for whom did I dress? And this got me thinking about all the other times I do or don't "dress". Where should my focus be?

Truly I need to start dressing from the inside out, not the top to bottom or utilizing war paint....not saying I don't need it, just shouldn't be the first coat or project so to speak. What is my motivation for the day, who has my focus and what do I want to be seen by others when I exit the preparation room? I think it needs to always start in the heart, looking for the reflection of my actions, then the mirror for necessary repairs. And if I indeed have the proper focus for the day, I will desire to honor others with my spiritual, emotional and physical appearance. That does not mean designer jeans or zillion dollar handbags, but cloths that are modest. Then I can assure my hair is in a kept style and just a tad of accents if it is pleasing to those I should please first in the world, family. And I know that if I dress in this order, putting on my Spiritual Sunday Best first, everything else will fall in to place. Despite the day or the number of stains I will have the glow that only comes from getting dressed in the right order.

Romans 13:12-14