By Marci Seither, Contributing Writer

What is it about Sunday mornings?

It often feels like the Murphy’s Law Day, where if something can go wrong, it will. And, it usually happens while getting  kids ready for church.

My husband often had to get to church early to help set up for Sunday School class or rehearse something for the service. That left me to get the kids up, dressed, and ready for church, only to find that it was almost time to leave and I was still in my pajamas.

I recall trying to rouse our sleepy tribe with, “Time to rise and shine!”, and waiting for a response.

I figured they were either having a moment of silence or they were still asleep. Most likely it was the later.

“These guys are not going to raise up and call me blessed,” I referenced a familiar verse in Proverbs 31. “If anything, they are going to rise up and call me crabby!”

At that, my grumbling turned to soft a giggle.

I was often the one who set the mood for how our kids woke up and went out into the world. I needed to take a more active approach verses a reactive stand. Sundays were meant as a day of rest and a time to focus on the Lord. It is a day set aside to recharge physically and spiritually for the week ahead. I needed to do something to change the bad routine we were stuck in, and grumbling wouldn’t change anything.

So, I started getting ready for Sunday on Saturday.

No more looking for a lost shoe or finding out the shirt I was going to wear was missing a button. No more cereal spilled on the counter in a hurried frenzy and milk left out. No more stress of looking at the clock and calculating how late we were going to be.

We needed to make a few changes.

Everyone had to get their clothes out the night before, including what shoes they were going to wear. They needed to take showers the night before or plan to get up earlier.

And, I started making coffee cake the night before.

One thing I noticed as the house filled with the aroma of baked apple and cinnamon, was that people took notice. We always baked something yummy when guests were coming over, and it had a similar effect.

“Mmm.. that smells yummy, what is the occasion?” was often the phrase uttered followed by “Can I have a piece?”

“The occasion is that we are going to church in the morning,” I replied. “And, yes, you can have a piece. First thing in the morning after you get up, make your bed, and get dressed.”

I set out the small plates and napkins along with glasses for juice or milk. I unloaded the dishwasher was so that dirty dishes could be rinsed off and put into the dishwasher before we left. I set out fruit and made sure we had milk or juice, and had the coffee maker ready to turn on.

Proverbs 14:1 “The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands, the foolish one tears hers down.”

That seems a bit drastic, but is it? But if I am frustrated and don’t take action to change the things I have control over in my home, how effective am I?  What am I really teaching my kids?

How about You? Do you find your Sundays stress filled or rest filled?

Think of ways to take action. Make Sunday the best day of the week.

Build your house.. one coffee cake at a time!

Cinnamon Apple Coffee Cake

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Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cup flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• 8 Tbs. (one stick) butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ tsp. vanilla
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 apple- coarsely chopped- some people peel their apples, but I leave the skins on, it is faster.
• Optional- ½ cup dried cranberries

Topping

• 2 Tbs. butter
• 3 Tbs. flour
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions

1. Make topping. Put all topping ingredients into a small bowl and use pastry cutter or smash with fork until the butter is the size of small grains of rice. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven – 375 degrees.

Lightly grease 9-inch square or round baking pan.

3. Mix flour, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl and set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, combine butter and sugar. Mix with electric mixer until fluffy. Add one egg at a time, beating in between until creamy, then add vanilla.
5. Add ½ of flour mix and stir. Slowly add in milk while stirring. Add the rest of flour. Stir again until barely blended. Over stiring will cause cake to become flat.
6. Add apples and dried cranberries. Fold into batter until all ingredients are blended.
7. Spoon batter into pan. Sprinkle topping on top.
8. Bake coffee cake for 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.
9. Serve warm or let cool and cover with saran wrap and serve the next day.

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Enjoy! From my kitchen to yours!