I'm very much aware that I'm not generally thought of as someone who attends country music concerts. And that perception is exactly right. I enjoy an occasional country song and think some of them have very insightful lyrics. But, as a general rule, I'm more of a church music, classical, Broadway show tunes kind of girl. However, on a recent trip to Lake Charles, Louisiana for a culinary media tour, our group attended the Southern Cast Iron Cook Off grand finale concert with Craig Morgan and his band as the star performers. Come to find out, I had actually heard several of his songs. He is a prolific songwriter having had 25 of his songs appear on the Billboard charts, and he was inducted into the membership of the Grand Ole Opry in 2008.
You won't be surprised to learn that one of his songs in particular caught my attention.
"That's What I Love About Sunday"
Raymond's in his Sunday best,
He's usually up to his chest in oil an' grease.
There's the Martins walkin' in,
With that mean little freckle-faced kid,
Who broke a window last week.
Sweet Miss Betty likes to sing off key in the pew behind me.
That's what I love about Sunday:
Sing along as the choir sways;
Every verse of Amazin' Grace,
An' then we shake the Preacher's hand.
Go home, into your blue jeans;
Have some chicken an' some baked beans.
Pick a back yard football team,
Not do much of anything:
That's what I love about Sunday.
I stroll to the end of the drive,
Pick up the Sunday Times, grab my coffee cup.
It looks like Sally an' Ron, finally tied the knot,
Well, it's about time.
It's 35 cents off a ground round,
Baby, cut that coupon out!
That's what I love about Sunday:
Cat-napping on the porch swing;
You curled up next to me,
The smell of jasmine wakes us up.
Take a walk down a back road,
Tackle box and a cane pole;
Carve our names in that white oak,
steal a kiss as the sun fades,
That's what I love about Sunday,
Oh, yeah.
Ooh, new believers gettin' baptized,
Momma's hands raised up high,
Havin' a Hallelujah good time
A smile on everybody's face.
That's what I love about Sunday,
Oh, yeah.
That's what I love about Sunday, Oh, yeah.
Morgan has a knack for nailing the perception of Sundays in the South for those who attend his concerts. The full-throated, singalong participation of the crowd verified that fact, and I can't say that I differ with any of his lyrics. But, after I returned home and thought more about this song, I have to say that I HOPE for me and for you there is much more that we love about Sunday.
Amen to his words about people getting baptized and everybody smiling through the praise and worship times. Amen to the choir singing "Amazing Grace" and Miss Betty singing off key. But, if I were to pen a song with this subject, I would want to include more about reverence, acknowledging God as the reason for our worship, studying the Bible, hearing the Word preached, the importance of the Sabbath, holiness, gaining encouragement and support from my fellow believers and seeing people get saved. I'd want my song to include some appropriate verses of Scripture.
Exodus 20:8 (NIV) - "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy."
Psalm 122:1 (NIV) - "I rejoiced with those who said to me,'Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV) - "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
Matthew 18:20 -- "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Leviticus 23:3 -- " There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a sabbath to the Lord."
Psalm 95:6 -- "Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker"
Yes to Sunday dinner. Yes to Sunday afternoon naps. But, most of all, yes to a time of true worship of the Living God. Amen?
What do YOU love about Sunday?