Just so you’ll know, I didn’t go to church in my PJs. Well not in the sanctuary anyway.
Over the last few years, I have noticed more and more people wearing their PJs out in public. But, I was the most shocked by that during a Christmas concert a few years ago.
When our daughter was attending the University of the Cumberlands, she was in The Cumberland Singers. One Christmas, we went up to hear them sing during the traditional “Hanging of the Greens.” So there we sat in the chapel. I was wearing my “Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes” as was Tim.
In walks a student in his hoodie and pajama bottoms. A certain yellow sponge cartoon character was printed all over his pants. I checked his feet to see if he was wearing house shoes. Nope, he had on sneakers.
Tim shook his head. To him, it was disrespectful. As for me, I was amazed at how comfortable the student was in them. I don’t mean wearing lounge clothes. I mean he had no embarrassment in what he was wearing. You know, like it’s normal to wear PJs in a chapel.
If I even thought about dressing like that and going out to a formal meeting, my Mamaw Girdle/Myrtle would roll over in her grave. And my momma wouldn’t be happy about it either. Even if Mom had to run into the store for one thing, she had to have on her makeup, every hair had to be in place, and be wearing nice clothes.
But then there came the day some church people saw me in my PJs.
Unlike the student at the Christmas concert, it wasn’t on purpose. You see, we had just moved and next door to us is a small church. It was late one Wednesday evening and I realized I needed to empty the water container in the dehumidifier in the basement.
So I lugged the container full of water to the basement door. I politely stepped out and began pouring out the water. That’s when I heard people talking. I looked over to see the church crowd leaving the service and going to their cars. By the way, the parking lot is about 50 feet from where I was standing.
While standing there in my PJs, with no house coat, I dared to glance over. A couple of people waved to me. As soon as the last water drop hit the ground, I dashed back inside. My daughter Sara laughed and laughed. I’m glad she was entertained, but as for me, I was absolutely mortified. I even prayed for God’s forgiveness.
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 (KJV)
My PJ mishap was all my fault. I wasn’t paying attention and assumed nobody was around. In fact, we should always be on guard to what is going on around us, especially as Believers. Don’t ever forget, our adversary is always waiting for us to let our guard down.
In my defense, I grew up and lived on my Papaw’s farm. I wasn’t used to other people being so close to my back door.
While I know longer go out in just my PJs, you may catch sight of me walking my dog in my backyard in Sara’s old pink housecoat with monkey faces all over it.