National Occult Day

I don't know much about occults. But I did go to church today.

I love Sundays. I don't think I always loved them, but I really do now. I know as a kid it was about what we couldn't do. Our summers were torturous as we looked out the back windows at the forbidden swimming pool. My little brother, Jeremy, and I found creative ways to spend our Sunday afternoons. We would play school, or church (with the sacrament of course - and when we got a little keyboard one year from our grandparents, our meetings were more spiritual as we learned how to play Count Your Blessings and God Be With you - the easiest hymns in the book) or we would play our own version of Fear Factor. We would make strange food concoctions and the other person would have to taste it while blindfolded and try to guess what it was. I remember vanilla wafers loaded with mustard, raw onion with peanut butter on it, and mushy graham cracker milk.

These days my Sundays are not quite as exciting. Alan leaves early for meetings and I get up and have a little peace and quiet. I read my scriptures, prepare lessons and just enjoy the quiet. An hour later when I need to wake up the kids, my hair is dry enough to start blowing it out. When we get to church, I can always feel a difference in my day. I love seeing the members or my ward and stake all there to worship. The girls and I find a place to sit, Devon sits with the Deacons to pass the sacrament. My kids are finally old enough that I can listen to the talks and feel the spirit without Cheerios, sippy cups or coloring books.



I love Relief Society. I love to be with the sisters and learn from their lessons and comments. I spent almost four years in Young Womens so it has been nice to be back in Relief Society. I have been called to be a Relief Society teacher - next week is my first week teaching - I'm kind of excited about that.

After church we have a little snack. I prepare dinner and then take a little (30 - 45 minute) nap before choir practice. After choir we have dinner and read scriptures, it is usually only 5:00 or so, and we play a game or take a walk. We love having Alan home on Sunday evenings - when he is gone all day it seems like a treat when he comes home. I don't know why that it is - on weekdays he is gone all day and we don't make a big production of him being home...

I wish the world respected the Sabbath more. In Europe, calendars begin each week on Monday so that Sunday really is the seventh day of the week. I love it when business are closed on Sunday - I will give them more business when I find this out. Chick-fil-A is one that is closed on the Sabbath and I just found out that London Gold is closed on Sundays (they sent us a calendar) - we have never shopped there before but I'm hoping I can talk Alan into shopping there for my Christmas present!