Evelyn had called last night to make
arrangements for Jenna and her friend to meet at the gate instead of driving
through onto her property. Roland seemed
weirded out as he asked why I would allow her to work on the Sabbath. We’re in quarantine. As with so many others, I have lost track of
the days. Jenna has rather enjoyed not
having to go to young women each week as she has little in common with the rest
of the girls. It’s usually a chore just
being there as she often feels out of place. I fully relate. I didn’t feel like I ever fit in with the
young women either – not as a youth.
Certainly not as a leader.
Each individual has his or her own interpretation
of what accounts for keeping the Sabbath day holy. For me, it is making an
effort to make it more special than any other day. When I was a youth, it was playing games with
family, visiting grandma, taking Sunday drives on occasion.
Wonderful World of Disney was on NBC at the
time and sometimes we would sit down and watch a wholesome movie as a
family. I may not have appreciated the
value in setting the day apart from any other.
I have appreciated it more as an adult and wish to make it a day that
sets apart all others. I have not
mastered that however.
Roland would often come home from his meetings,
turn on the tv and watch the same programs that he is accustomed to watching
all week. I took a tv fast and refused
to watch on Sunday for over a month. I
would not watch it at all, but it’s there.
I like watching a good movie once in a while. I get tired of what Roland likes – not that
we’ve ever agreed.
He always starts his morning with Sunday
Morning on CBS. Though I have found
some of the stories interesting, watching Sunday Morning was never a
part of my routine. Sunday Morning doesn’t need to be viewed on Sunday
morning. There are several options available
to view it later. Especially since so
much of the program lately is focused on what we already hear about on a daily
basis: the coronavirus, the protests, the lootings, stupidity . . . Yes, that
is how I would like to start out my Sabbath morning (Not).
I have already discussed this with Roland or have
tried to. Once again we are not
communicating. He seems to view paid
labor as breaking the Sabbath but does not understand my explanation with the
television. Jenna would not be going to work if we were back to normal
meetings. It’s hard to say when we will
be able to have congregational meetings at all.
When the pandemic first started Jenna and I spent
each Sunday going through the scriptures and watching “Come Follow Me” programs
– but that tapered off to each of us doing it by ourselves. Roland has sat through a video a time or two,
but overall, we haven’t done much for Sunday meetings as a family. I remember being by myself on Easter and Mother’s
Day, wanting to share my discoveries but did not receive the same enthusiasm
with the other two that live in the same house.
The closest we came was last week when Kevin
and Roland blessed and passed the Sacrament and then going to the Sacred
Grove. But even with that our day ended
with making others work as we ended our outing at a Burger King with four of us
wearing paper crowns. Should have had
Roland take a picture of us in our crowns.
Too late now.
We have been told that when we return that
there will only be one meeting. We will
be spaced out on the pews (which we pretty much have been anyway) and will wear
masks and not be singing. If that’s what
it is, I don’t think I will even want to go. I will be in tears every week and
I will be getting my mask wet with tears and snot. It will be hard to be there and not be able
to embrace or sing.
I will continue with my vacation log tomorrow
through Wednesday. Take care everybody.
