The Decline of Bladder Capacity (04/21/2026)

This weekend, it happened again. I wish I didn’t notice, but it’s part of my acute awareness. There was a constant stream of individuals leaving church to go to the bathroom. And I said a little prayer to the LORD for a cure for the bladder decline. I was raised in a family of 8, never, I mean never, did any one of us ever have to leave the pew to go to the bathroom in the 20 years I was with that crew. And my husband and I raised three kids, and never, I mean never, did any one of us ever have to leave the pew to go to the bathroom in the 25 years we were all together in one pew. Something has changed.

As I pondered the situation later in the day, I wondered if everyone really had to go or was it just because they could. I had to think about that. Growing up, “going” to the bathroom during church was not an option, so I made sure before we left home that the issue wouldn’t arise. And I thought of my husband and I and the three kids. I chuckled to myself as I remembered the 30-minute warning for departure that always ended with, “And you should probably go to the bathroom before we leave.” And I began to wonder, was what I am witnessing from my pew a decline in bladder capacity or a decline in self-discipline?

Self-discipline of this ilk wasn’t reserved to church time. Growing up, my family journeyed from Texas to Iowa every summer and then later from Georgia to Iowa to visit the families of origin. All 8 of us in a 9-passenger station wagon that only stopped for gas and only if the station had a “Clean Restrooms” sign. Talk about learning self-discipline at an early age. I was always amazed at just how long I could wait after the urge first appeared.

Now this may seem an odd topic for my blog meant to be a spiritual sharing of my journey, but then I thought about myself compared to my Grandma Lena and my own dad, and I had to admit that my sense of self-discipline isn’t as strong as theirs was. They were pillars of strength, especially in their strength of doing the right and loving thing over the easy thing. And I want to do something about that because as I look about and watch the news, I think I am witnessing a decline in self-discipline which is an essential in discipleship. Remember, “If you want to come after me, deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me” (Mt. 16:24).  I think we are struggling with “deny self.”  Am I, too, suffering from a decline of self-discipline that seems to be occurring around me?

Yesterday, I saw coverage of a “takeover” in New York by teens and young adults who started a fire, damaged property, obstructed traffic, and terrorized some residents. I think we need to consider if we are asking everyone to be their best in every situation, their loving and concerned self, or are we neglecting that part of learning to live well and love well for our own good and the good of others for love of God.

Normally, I am not “legalistic.” In fact, my philosophy is “keep it simple.” My play book has only two laws: Love the LORD with my whole being and love one another as Christ has loved me. It’s amazing how those two rules actually have merit in every moment of my day.  Even the “bathroom dilemma” at church draws on that – I am there first to raise my mind, heart and voice in loving praise and thanksgiving to my LORD and a bathroom break ruins the moment. I am also there to do together and be together what I cannot do or be alone – to be the living body of Christ here on earth. And having body parts drop out constantly for a personal errand is disruptive and diminishes our unity.

So, what started out as an observation moved me to prayer and further pondering including self-evaluation which further led me to write this today. And I end in a question. How would our world look different and be different if we all worked harder to deny ourselves, pick up our crosses and followed Christ? Could it eradicate the modern decline in bladders? Maybe it could. It’s always amazed me what love can accomplish.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.