Monday, June 20, 2011

The Sabbath Experience -- week 37



You may have noticed the change in the title this week. I decided this in no longer a Sabbath Experiment, but is a Sabbath Experience instead.

Yesterday, I learned something about my Sabbath Experience that I'm not quite sure I know what to do about. While it is nice to set aside one day a week to do whatever we want, aside from working, entertaining might not be the best option. Why? Quite simply because entertaining can be a whole lot of work. As was the case yesterday.

Even though we were simply having family over, we still had a lot of work to do by the time we got home yesterday. First of all, it wasn't a typical Sunday. Of course, we spent the morning at church, followed by lunch with some of the kids and the grandbabies. That's what we do as a routine. However, we then had to kill some time because we were going to a going away party at 3 p.m. We didn't want to go home and then head back out. So we didn't arrive home until 4:30 or so. Company was due at 6:15. For some of you, having the kids over may be no big deal. But dinner with the family is always a big deal for us. I treat them like valued guests, because ... well, the are. I treasure family dinners. After all, I know too many lonely people out there whose adult kids barely bother with them. And I know others who rarely see their grandchildren, even when they live in the same town! Of course, in our family we have a couple adult kids of our own that we don't see, and it is heartbreaking. So, like I said, I treasure family dinners with the ones who do care. So I cook for them, clean for them and serve them as if they were my favorite guests ... because they are.

Even though we ate outside, I had to have my cloth tablecloth and nicely set table. I did do something yesterday that garnered some shocked responses -- paper napkins! There is an explanation for that, however. I have a drawer full of fancy paper napkins I accumulated in my not-so-green days. Some were gifts, and others were bought at places like Goodwill (as was the case with yesterday's). Since our dinner included spareribs with homemade balsamic vinegar barbecue sauce, I predicted messy hands. I just made the decision to go with paper for a meal. It created quite a buzz!!

Of course, during and after dinner, there was quite a bit of getting up and heading to the kitchen for drink refills, forgotten items, etc. By the time everyone left, I was beat. Bill was beat. And we had a messy kitchen. I filled the dishwasher and started it up. With all the dishes, glasses, silverware and pots, we still had a messy kitchen. I faced that this morning.

Wait a minute ... yesterday was the Sabbath. Wasn't it supposed to be a day of rest??

Yes, and therein lies the problem of entertaining on Sundays. Of course, it was Father's Day and the kids wanted to spend the evening with their dad. Can't blame them for that. But I must say, I'm looking forward to the day when that means one of them invites us for dinner!

The lesson I learned was this: if I am going to entertain on Sunday, I must work extra hard on Saturday in preparation so Sunday is not quite so crazy.

Bill and I did end the day sitting on the porch playing Bananagrams before we went to bed. A relaxing end to a busy weekend, which included keeping our 2 1/2 year old granddaughter overnight on Saturday. That, of course, was magical. The night included catching lightning bugs, going out for ice cream, reading, and playing. Like I said, it was magical.

And there was one other highlight I just have to brag about a bit. It was a late birthday card I got last night from my stepdaughter, Mindy. Since we haven't been able to get together since my birthday in May, she brought my gift and card along yesterday. While I have one stepdaughter who refuses to speak to me, it blessed me to read these words from the other one:

A mom's love
is an
unspoken
promise
to be kind,
to be wise,
to be there.

Amazing --
the woman that you are,
the mom that you've been ...
the love that never ends.

Happy Birthday

(Hallmark Licensing, Inc.)

I guess I'm not such a bad stepmom after all. Thanks, Mindy.

Sharing my Sabbath Experience,

Hana

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