What a beautiful morning. It's crisp and cool out; my second favorite time of the year. We get about a month of this in the autumn and maybe a month and a half in the spring. I turn off the air conditioner and turn on the fan. I can open the doors and get some fresh air circulating in the house, effectively airing out the summer (and conversely, airing out the winter in the spring). I guess it all balances out.
This morning, I was awakened by that urgency that most of us wake up to. The one that sends us into the privy...I will spare you the details. It was just starting to get light out. I went into the kitchen and got my coffee going and then stepped into my back yard. I watched the east as the light began to gently kiss the sky in greeting. The sun started making his appearance as the third rock continued to spin on it's axis. Everything around me seemed to greet me with a cheery "Happy Sabbath!"
Now, as I sit here, I have the front door opened and sipping on a hot cup of coffee (made from God's own java bean), I am so thankful for the Sabbath. I love that I can just put away all the troubles and trials of the week. Groceries to get? Bills to pay? Car to wash? There is always Sunday. But for 24 wonderful hours I can enjoy complete freedom from all of that, if I choose to do so. And I do. Interestingly, in a book that was not written by a Seventh Day Adventist, science has apparently confirmed that the best times for our bodies to rest and rejuvenate is from Friday night sundown to Saturday night sundown. In that 24 hours, our bodies can recoup a lot of what is lost during the week.
I am thankful for the Sabbath, although there have been times when I have taken it for granted. I find the older I get, the more I appreciate it. I know that SDA's can put a legalistic spin on the day, but I hope that I will remember that the Sabbath was made for me; I wasn't made for the Sabbath.
I think back to when I was a young teeny-bopper. There was a group of adults that hung out together and a lot of times all the families would get together after church, spending the rest of the afternoon and most of the evening/night together. One house in particular stands out in my memory. The Pinckney's. The rule was that no dishes were to be washed until sundown. They would put away any food that might go bad if it wasn't in the fridge and that was it. The rest of the afternoon was spent visiting and playing Bible games. And if the weather allowed, there was hiking and seeing what we would discover of God even in a barren desert. We would have sundown worship, singing and fellowshipping out the Sabbath. What a blessing! Then and only then, did the dishes get done.
I would love to relive some of those Sabbaths. They are dear to me for the time spent with these wonderful friends (some that are no longer with us) and for the example it set. Because in those Sabbath hours there was joy and laughter and none of the constraints of legalism. (By the way, I believe that our joy and laughter brings a "proud papa" smile to our Creator's face.)
In keeping with these memories, I am looking for things that will bring the joy back to Sabbath. I want to make the most of the Sabbath hours and not just sleep them away during my "lay activities". I'm going to have to put on my thinking cap and get creative, but I'm sure Divine inspiration will help me.
In the meantime, I hope you have a blessed, restful, and rejuvenating day. Happy Sabbath to all and to all a Divinely inspired day.
