Monday, May 12, 2014

Am I the Boss Of Everyone's Sabbath?

I had a lovely Mother's Day.  Church, being with all my kids, visiting Grandma, time at home, reading in the sun, putting my feet up, a lovely cook-out, strawberry shortcake, gifts, Perfection!  But I started feeling a bit guilty. If the rest of the family allows me to "lie-about" all day are they actually embracing Sabbath?  Which begs the question...am I the boss of everyone's Sabbath?  My youngest is only 14 so I'm going with a 'yes' for him.  Also as the mom, I do kind of set the tone for the day, but I don't think one can force Sabbath on others, nor would that be effective. Or would it?  Remember the concept of planning ahead?  Remember when there were no open stores on Sundays...and we all survived? Remember when the gas stations weren't open on Sundays, and we filled up on Saturdays?

Whittlesey Landscaping has this statement on the front page of their website: The Whittlesey family made the decision to close on Sundays in the belief that it's important that all of our employees have an opportunity to spend time with family and friends, rest, and worship if they choose to do so. We believe that this choice is an integral part of our desire to staff both of our locations with a spiritually and mentally healthy, happy, and helpful team of employees.  They are if not enforcing, at least enabling their own family and friends to have a bit of Sabbath. At one time a touch of Sabbath was forced on us, and it made it easier to slow down.  Now I feel like I'm fighting every week to maintain peace and rest.   YES "Fighting for peace and rest" IS an oxymoron, but that is the world in which we live.  We must, if not fight for our own chunk of Sabbath, at least practice it.
Abraham Joshua Heschel say this,

"Perfect Rest is an art.  It is the result of an accord of body, mind and imagination." 

So if society isn't going to roll up the streets on Sundays just so we can pause and take a breath, perhaps it is the "mama's job!" 

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