The Sabbath Day

[Pheidippides]

My family finally made it home from the far reaches of Montana last week and life as normal resumed. This Saturday we had a good day - fun and well-run primary activity in the morning, worked on the yard during the day together, I taught my daughter how to use the lawnmower, we went out to dinner for some Tex-Mex, and had a restful evening at home.

Sunday (yesterday) was a horrible day. Church was decent enough, but then, constrained by something (religion? heritage? tradition?) from doing the things we otherwise would have done (swimming, more work on the yard, etc.) it became quite a bad day. Nobody had anything to do and chaos and fighting was the result.

This is not an uncommon weekend pattern. It has made me reevaluate the concept of "keeping the Sabbath day holy."

I am interested to hear of approaches that work for others. People who are going to say things like "read your scriptures" and "write letters to missionaries" and "sing primary songs" need not waste the pixel space, as that's not going to work. I'm currently wondering why working in the yard, say, as a family, or taking a family trip to the lake, or going swimming down at the community pool, or any number of similar things are inappropriate sabbath day activities. I've been taught my entire life (mostly culturally) that that is the case, but I'm not sure I agree anymore.

[Indy Coug]

Frankly, I think you need to answer that question for yourself.

[Pheidippides]

Frankly, I think you need to answer that question for yourself.

That's the point of the thread - I'm currently in the "trying to answer" mode and am interested in hearing how other people have answered it to see if I can find something that makes sense.

[beefytee]

My family finally made it home from the far reaches of Montana last week and life as normal resumed. This Saturday we had a good day - fun and well-run primary activity in the morning, worked on the yard during the day together, I taught my daughter how to use the lawnmower, we went out to dinner for some Tex-Mex, and had a restful evening at home.

Sunday (yesterday) was a horrible day. Church was decent enough, but then, constrained by something (religion? heritage? tradition?) from doing the things we otherwise would have done (swimming, more work on the yard, etc.) it became quite a bad day. Nobody had anything to do and chaos and fighting was the result.

This is not an uncommon weekend pattern. It has made me reevaluate the concept of "keeping the Sabbath day holy."

I am interested to hear of approaches that work for others. People who are going to say things like "read your scriptures" and "write letters to missionaries" and "sing primary songs" need not waste the pixel space, as that's not going to work. I'm currently wondering why working in the yard, say, as a family, or taking a family trip to the lake, or going swimming down at the community pool, or any number of similar things are inappropriate sabbath day activities. I've been taught my entire life (mostly culturally) that that is the case, but I'm not sure I agree anymore.

I'm surprised you didn't jump on these when they were introduced here a while ago.

Kids and parents alike are thoroughly entertained.

[Pheidippides]

I'm surprised you didn't jump on these when they were introduced here a while ago.

Kids and parents alike are thoroughly entertained.

Ha! Tempt me not with your priestcrafts! And stellar production values!

[beefytee]

I think part of it is the age.

I'm thinking/hoping that by my kids teenage years, everybody will be enjoying long naps. Sunday was my favorite day as a teenager.

It is difficult with young kids though, who are always doing something.

When the weather isn't too hot (like it is now) we like to go on walks or bake with them. We make cookies for the new neighbors yesterday

They love that.

[Uncle Ted]

Yesterday we took a nice boat ride as a family in the evening. Growing up we use to take a car ride as a family on Sundays. We spent the entire week on the ranch/farm so it was nice to get out and see something else for a change.

Also, when I was younger my grandfather would take my brother and I fly fishing on Sunday after church. In fact, he would be usually waiting at the church for us to get out and we would head straight for the river. Fly fishing on Sundays after church continued for me while a student at BYU. Once I took my home teachers with me. I taught them fly fishing and they gave me the first presidency message.

[byu71]

My family finally made it home from the far reaches of Montana last week and life as normal resumed. This Saturday we had a good day - fun and well-run primary activity in the morning, worked on the yard during the day together, I taught my daughter how to use the lawnmower, we went out to dinner for some Tex-Mex, and had a restful evening at home.

Sunday (yesterday) was a horrible day. Church was decent enough, but then, constrained by something (religion? heritage? tradition?) from doing the things we otherwise would have done (swimming, more work on the yard, etc.) it became quite a bad day. Nobody had anything to do and chaos and fighting was the result.

This is not an uncommon weekend pattern. It has made me reevaluate the concept of "keeping the Sabbath day holy."

I am interested to hear of approaches that work for others. People who are going to say things like "read your scriptures" and "write letters to missionaries" and "sing primary songs" need not waste the pixel space, as that's not going to work. I'm currently wondering why working in the yard, say, as a family, or taking a family trip to the lake, or going swimming down at the community pool, or any number of similar things are inappropriate sabbath day activities. I've been taught my entire life (mostly culturally) that that is the case, but I'm not sure I agree anymore.

It is a tough question, well for some it is. I know for some, it is a no brainer. You go to church, read scriptures, do quiet family activities (whatever that is) or watch TV which is allowable in most circles.

I will go visit the kids. One thing I do struggle with though is doing things with the kids, namely the boys and grandsons and namely golf. With young families, week days are full of stuff they have to do. Saturday's of course are even busier. The one day during the week they have nothing going on is Sunday. I would love to go out and play golf with the boys and grandsons.

If I lived somewhere where no one would find out, I probably would.

[Pheidippides]

Yesterday we took a nice boat ride as a family in the evening. Growing up we use to take a car ride as a family on Sundays. We spent the entire week on the ranch/farm so it was nice to get out and see something else for a change.

Also, when I was younger my grandfather would take my brother and I fly fishing on Sunday after church. In fact, he would be usually waiting at the church for us to get out and we would head straight for the river. Fly fishing on Sundays after church continued for me while a student at BYU. Once I took my home teachers with me. I taught them fly fishing and they gave me the first presidency message.

If I knew how to fly fish, I'd do that. Spending time out in nature is a magnificent way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

[happyone]

the rule of thumb we have always used is that you don't cause anyone else to work on Sunday.

-working in the yard, family walks, visiting friends/relatives, drive up the canyon - okay

- visiting a community pool, shopping, going to a concert - maybe not

It seems to work for us

[byu71]

Yesterday we took a nice boat ride as a family in the evening. Growing up we use to take a car ride as a family on Sundays. We spent the entire week on the ranch/farm so it was nice to get out and see something else for a change.

Also, when I was younger my grandfather would take my brother and I fly fishing on Sunday after church. In fact, he would be usually waiting at the church for us to get out and we would head straight for the river. Fly fishing on Sundays after church continued for me while a student at BYU. Once I took my home teachers with me. I taught them fly fishing and they gave me the first presidency message.

You took your home teachers with you? Was this in Utah? Southern Utah??

[The_Tick]

We pretty much let them do as they wish.

We do Church, and then we come home and chill. We watch a ton of movies. We will go for a walk. We will kick the soccer ball around or play catch with the softball.

They can go to friends houses, and friends can come over to our place.

We really don't have many rules at the house.

[Uncle Ted]

You took your home teachers with you? Was this in Utah? Southern Utah??

This was at BYU. The home teachers wanted to come over to visit me and I suggested they go fishing with me. So after church we headed up the provo and fished for about an hour or so. One of them went with me a few more times. It was great. I got to know my home teachers a lot better than the usually 30 minute, how's-it-going-here-is-the-1st-presidency-message visit.

[DrumNFeather]

Yesterday we took a nice boat ride as a family in the evening. Growing up we use to take a car ride as a family on Sundays. We spent the entire week on the ranch/farm so it was nice to get out and see something else for a change.

Also, when I was younger my grandfather would take my brother and I fly fishing on Sunday after church. In fact, he would be usually waiting at the church for us to get out and we would head straight for the river. Fly fishing on Sundays after church continued for me while a student at BYU. Once I took my home teachers with me. I taught them fly fishing and they gave me the first presidency message.

I'm pretty sure this is part of the storyline in "A River Runs Through It."

[Indy Coug]

Each Sunday, I drive to Chick Fil A in the hopes that they will finally be open.