Sabbath Thoughts

I love Sunday. I love all that it implies: Church, study, serving, relaxing,(those previous two sound diametrically opposed!) and being with family. I love all that it doesn't imply: going to work at HIS, laundry, shopping, the slings and arrows of daily life. This morning I am sitting in my basement at the downstairs computer, the Fixity (Janna's and Juje's psycho cat) curled up beside me, listening to the sounds of...silence. Everyone else in this household is still asleep.

I am singing in Sacrament meeting in LaVerkin today--a medley of favorite Primary songs and hymns. Well, two songs, really: "Whenever I hear the song of a bird..." and parts of "How Great Thou Art." I came down here to run off words so I won't stand at the podium and have a brain blackout. Any other day I would feel in such a hurry to go, to do, to run, run, run...but not today.

I just want to thank my Heavenly Father for the Sabbath day. He knew what he was doing, consecrating one day in seven to be a day to worship, to ponder, to serve in many different ways than we serve during the week. Last Sunday was a busy day for me--going to Church at 9:00, going over to the Beehive House to sing a special number for those precious people over there, having our new home teachers visit, going to choir practice, making spaghetti for the family...but all the busy-ness was different busy-ness than I do on other days. It felt GOOD, not burdensome. I felt a happy kind of tiredness at the end of the day.

Probably my favorite part of Sunday is being with family. They are my favorite people to hang out with. I ended last Sunday by reading about family, too...Janna curled up beside me as I read aloud from Grandma Stratton's book, Look to the Stars. Oh, how grateful I am that she took the time to record her life for her posterity. I LOVE THAT PRECIOUS MOTHER OF MINE!

Oh. I'm caught. I hear footsteps above my head. Before I head off to the day, I want to say how much I love my Heavenly Father and his son, Jesus Christ. I am thankful for at least a zillion things today...and I want to NOTICE and pay attention to my blessings today. I want to live the words of the songs I will be singing...

"He gave me my eyes that I might see the color of butterfly wings,
He gave me my ears that I might hear the magical sounds of things,
He gave me my life, my mind, my heart:
I thank him reverently
For all his creations of which I'm a part.
Yes, I know Heavenly Father loves me." Clara McMaster Thanks, Clara!

This, too, will be a joyous Sabbath. I can feel it in my old bones.