First, just let me say, that I'm not a "perfect" Sabbath Keeper, but I do try to limit our Sabbaths to attending church and staying at home as a family. I'm sure there's much more we can do and improve on. I'm going to be thankful that we do what we do for now.
Moving on....because of the last 9-10 months being either pregnant or having a baby with via c-section, I missed something very important. Lucy, Joey and Leah have been taking dance classes since last September. Right from the beginning I went to the calendar to see the dates/days of the final recital. EVERY time I looked at the June 2010 calendar, I saw that the dates fell on a Friday and Saturday for which I was very thankful. I did look at the calendar more than one time.
About three weeks ago, the tickets for the recitals (4 different shows) went on sale and when I went to buy the tickets I noticed that one of the days was a Sunday. I was stunned. Beyond stunned really, I started crying because I was so upset. It was all my fault.
I guess I tend to be a bit judgmental when it comes to keeping the Sabbath Day holy. I will probably offend any reading this, but it's my blog. It's my opinion that keeping the Sabbath holy is not that difficult. Let me say this...had I not been completely brain damaged this last year, I would've noticed the recital dates being on a Sunday. I would've immediately gone to the owners of the dance facility and told them of my concern. If they would have not been able to schedule my kids for the Saturday show, I would've calmly and respectively informed them that my kids would not be performing.
Why didn't I do that this time? Am I a hypocrite...yeh, I'm sure I am. The main reason was because of Joey. He was the only boy in his dance class and they had choreographed the dance around him to some extent. I talked to the owner and the dance instructor to see if Joey could be missed and both agreed that he couldn't. So, we decided to let him dance. I don't know if I was right or not.
My parents always kept the Sabbath holy. Maybe that's why it's easier for me. I guess, too, this is an area that I don't fear. I don't care if people get mad at me or my family for not attending something scheduled for a Sunday. Robbie had a couple of make-up ball games on Sunday last year. He didn't go. The kids don't attend parties scheduled for the Sabbath. I got invited to attend a baby shower on a Sunday here a few months ago. I really wanted to go. I knew that it wouldn't be a "bad" thing, but when I really weighed it out in my mind, I knew I couldn't go because I needed to be an example to my kids.
We did go to the recital today. We went yesterday for Lucy as well. Even though the music and dancing were basically the same, I felt a distinct difference in today's show from yesterday. I was really uncomfortable. The music seemed more offensive as did the dancing.
When we got in the car to drive to the singles' branch (the singles branch meeting in the Sewell building so we were able to attend church today), I told the kids that I wanted them to compare the difference in how they felt in the recital vs. church. Both Robbie and Lucy, when asked, were able to tell me that they felt the spirit at church. I was happy to hear that.
My dad did something similar for me and my brother just before our missions. My dad and Robert flew up in dad's plane to NY where I was a nanny. On our way home, dad stopped in Atlantic City and took us into a casino. Why? He wanted us to remember how we felt there vs. how we felt when we went into the temple in a couple of days. I won't ever forget that experience. I'm grateful that my dad thought to have Robert and I experience the stark differences between the loud darkness of the casino and the quiet brightness of the temple.
I hope my kids may feel similarly about our breaking the Sabbath today. I hope they can remember the differences of the loud darkness of the dance recital and the quiet brightness of the Sacrament Meeting. It's an interesting comparison really.
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