A day of rest

The Sabbath Day--Judaism and Christianity got it right on that one.

Yesterday I started with a photoshoot, hit two soccer games, ate lunch, mildly napped, sped off to another shoot and followed it up with two Halloween Parties where we kept the kids up until 10:30.

A day of rest is needed indeed.

So this morning I was thinking--Oh I am SO glad it's Sunday. Which of course in my busy brain toppled over a set of dominoes--mostly thinking about Mormonism and how, whether you agree with it or not, it really has a lot of things right.

Point #1 Sabbath Day

Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy in Mormon terms means a day of rest. It's the day you spend with your family, you worship at church, you rest. No boating, or playing at friend's houses, or work (some people have to--which is understood). But I wake up and think--I don't have to clean the house today even if it is crappified--it's Sunday. I don't have to schedule the kids outings with friends--or go to any soccer games. I could mostly be in PJ's for most of the day--minus 3 hours of church. I can nap and read and snuggle with my kids. It's funny to think if this as a commandment. But it's funny to think that back in Biblical times they knew. They knew that our day would be TOO busy--that we really would need to be forced to take a day off--to rest--for our Sanity. It makes it easy to say no to things--"sorry, I can't, it's the Sabbath". It's great. And I'm enjoying my super chill--cereal morning, kids playing with each other Sabbath.

Point #2

Word of Wisdom. The word of wisdom was a revelation given to Joseph Smith--a law of health for the people in 1833. Most people know that Mormons don't drink coffee, alcohol or tea. And we don't smoke. Those seem obvious with health benefits. But also in the Word of Wisdom is the instruction to eat meat sparingly, "Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly;". And lately, since I have been in more of a pursuit to eat things naturally, I find this next excerpt to be even more intriguing and divinely given, "Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving". Think about the idea of Joseph Smith saying, "Fruit should be eaten in the season thereof"--meaning--you should only eat fruit in it's season. That would have sounded odd in 1833--well of course that is when you eat fruit and vegetables. But fastforward to 2010 when you can go into ANY grocery store and get whatever fruit you want from any season. Think about it--it's not really natural. Things shipped from Chile or New Zealand so we can have it in the opposite season. It's not good for the earth God created for us and it's not good for us. And to eat with prudence. Hello obesity--it's talking to you. I am amazed at the Word of Wisdom, given so long ago--before research was available, to give us a law of health to live by.

Point #3

We have people who take care of us. Each family--whether a single person or traditional family--has home teachers. Two men that stop by once a month to give a spiritual message and check on your needs. They offer to help with things, they make sure things are going well in the home. Each woman in the ward has 2 women who do the same thing. Bring a message once a month and stay and chat and maintain a friendship. They are there to see if you are doing ok, and if there is anything they could do for help. A bishopric (the clergymen in charge of the ward). They are also around to instruct, aid and befriend. Add in the teachers of the children, youth and adults as well as just the strength in numbers of a ward family. Heavenly Father didn't want us to be alone--and if you are in a functioning ward--you shouldn't be. That--is divinely inspired. The best thing is--that's it's a worldwide church. Anytime you are anywhere, you should be able to stop in and be befriended and if need be--get help. This gave me tremendous comfort when I backpacked Europe, I knew that if something went wrong--all I needed to do was find a local Mormon church and everything would be just fine. I love this. I truly do.

I could go on, but as a Mormon, I am teaching a class today in Sunday School. (oh and the church is run as a volunteer organization--teachers, bishop, home teachers, visiting teachers, choir people, all of it--we do it of our own free will and choice--I love that too).

Enjoy your Sabbath.