Monday, December 29, 2008

Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy...

This is always such a dangerous topic. One that is risky in any setting, but I'll give a stab at it anyway. Afterall, you ALL know that I am far from perfect...

Yesterday, Steve and I were finishing up taking down the Christmas stuff. And yes, it was Sunday. We pretty much had it all taken down on Saturday, all except the plant shelf above the fireplace, but you need a ladder for that, and we ran out of time for that. So, Steve was nice enough to go get the ladder out and took down the stuff for me. While he was up there, he ended up dusting the shelf and cleaning the windows. Now, I don't know about your houses, but our house collects dust like mad. As in so much dust it looks like dirt. And the cobwebs (I already told you about the spiders - they are busy little buggers)... So, after dusting the plant shelf, cleaning the windows and knocking down cobwebs, it had to be vacuumed off the floor. So, I vacuumed.

Then, we decided (since we put the kids to bed at 7:30 - they had late nights all week!) we would hook up some electronics, especially since Jayden was in bed. That required moving out the entertainment center a bit, which revealed some more "dust" (read - dirt) behind the entertainment center, mostly on the baseboards, so more vacuuming and cleaning, etc. Then about half-way through Steve says that we are going to have to finish it tomorrow. "What! Why? The kids' are in bed..."

His reply? "It's Sunday and to finish I need to get my drill out..."

"But we just did all that cleaning and it was still Sunday..."

"Yeah, but the drill is a power tool..."

"So is the vacuum, but that didn't stop us."

And we finished. A little side note here, Steve then said, "This isn't going to end up on your blog now is it? You know, I'm just sayin'." I said no, but upon further inspection it IS an interesting subject.

So, truth be told, none of it was probably much of a "Sunday activity". However, Steve and I had a great time doing it, there wasn't any fighting, lots of laughter, and it's done, making my week this next week looking a whole lot more like I may actually get all the cleaning done I wanted before the kids go back to school. So, what's the verdict? Is it justification or what? I'm just sayin'.

6 comments:

Lhone said...

I know you just posted a couple of minutes ago, but I just happened to be here. I'm not stalking you! So...I think you were totally justified in this because it was not your intent to be doing all this. It just happened. You needed Steve around, and since you were working on it on Saturday, you just had to finish pulling the horse out of the mire. For all the electronics. I've met Jaden... you were justified. I really do think it is all about intentions, and whether you plan to do this all again next sunday because it worked out so well. I think Sunday activities are such a personal thing anyway. Who's to say what is right or not for each family.

Sher said...

Don't ask me. We had to make an "emergency" stop at Albertson's last night for some cranberry juice.

BlaineUSA said...

Good food for thought. Makes me think about where my own standards are. (i.e. I don't recall specifically considering the implications of power tools on the Sabbath.)

Planned activities or not, I think it's cool you guys take time to think about what's appropriate for your Sundays. You're good peeps. Glad I know ya.

Judy said...

I'm always leary to post a comment on this site, seeing as how they could get me in trouble... but this time I'll comment.
We've used power tools on Sunday...
I also think it is ok to do things like carve pumpkins and decorate gingerbread houses on Sunday as well... it's the perfect day to do family activities, and sometimes those family activities happen to be cleaning. BUT, I know some are prone to disagree with me.

Elisa said...

OK. We all know that I have ALL the seats by the A/C in hell reserved,right? (i'm totally taking reservations. And bribe money for closer seats)

With that little disclaimer out of the way... I don't AT.ALL. think Heavenly Father meant for us to all sit around on Sunday's in our Sunday clothes holding hands and singing Kumbaya all the live long day! That's just not realistic. OR healthy.

He did, however, mean for it to be a family day. And do family things. And think about the Savior-- BUT I don't think it was meant to be a 24 hour meditation fest. (yes. I KNOW. It's supposed to be a day DIFFERENT from all the other days...Christ's day, if you will...)But, can't you interact with your family, doing family things, and have the Savior in your thoughts? I don't think you should run out and do your shopping on the Sabbath (although I do sometimes), but I don't think you should flog yourself either when you aren't "kumbayaing" it... If you were together, having fun, and working on relationships-- THAT is what Sunday's are meant to be. (besides the whole sacrament thing...)

When we have tried in the past to be super righteous, and not doing anything but sing praises, and read our scriptures and not watch TV and stay in our church clothes ALL DAY LONG-- we did nothing but fight and have irritated contentious Sabbaths. NOT what Heavenly Father wants either.

Moderation in all things. At least, that's what I hear.
This was a GREAT one!

Anonymous said...

O.k., I think I'm gonna win for the best justification for what you did and how to make it so incredibly religious and sabbathlike. After that humble intro, here it is:

O.k., so i shall compare this one to sinning and repentance. All you and Steve were doing was practicing what we should all be doing on a daily basis: repenting! or in other words, cleansing our souls.

You were just doing it in a symbolic way beginning with your house (which is supposed to be like the temple, a house of order, a house of God, cleanliness is next to godliness, right?)

Prior to a relief society lesson i taught once, I linked cleaning in general, dishes, etc. to the cleansing process of repentance.

So you guys were practicing by cleaning the house, and that will in turn help you in the process of cleansing your souls. It's all on different planes and dimmensions, but quite a similar process.

So just make the activity into an object lesson, and you have the best FHE or sunday school lesson centered on the active process of cleansing your souls. :)

If you look at it that way, you're all good in the hood, and you didn't even realize it!!!

P.S. Chad and I used to try and play horse on Sundays a couple of times, justifiying it with playing "MOSES" or "ARK" or something like that. ;) If nothing else that was the funnest sabbath days we ever had...twice total i think. ;)

then there's always my hilarious friend matthew david who would, in HIS sunday school classes no less! play full on pop movies with jim carey and all and link the clips with gospel topics, so to each his own!

We all better understand and intrepret things in our own unique spiritual languages so judging others accurately just isn't possible. "Soooomebody stop me!!!"