Sabbath Lessons

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

There is pretty much never a prayer on the food at our house. Once in a rare while one of the younger kids may announce that she wants to bless the food to which I usually respond, "The food is perfectly fine and doesn't need blessing. If you want to give thanks for the meal, give it to your mother."

This past Sunday we had my parents-in-law over for pot roast and mashed potatoes. As we were sitting down to eat my mother-in-law, from the head of the table where she managed to seat herself, announced, "Let's get this food blessed before I starve to death."

I was ready with one of my standard comebacks but decided this time not to pick the fight. Instead, Donna politely asked one of the girls to say a prayer.

"heavenlyfatherpleaseblessthisfoodthatitwillnourishand
stregthenourbodiesanddousthegoodweneed
inthenameofjesuschristamen."

"AaaaayMEN. That was a BEAUTIFUL prayer", my mother-in-law swooned.

I'm just s'glad she remembered to take it upon herself to assign the prayer for the meal. She really went above and beyond. After all, all we asked her to do was bring a salad.

Later in the evening my father-in-law and I were watching the Mets have their way with the Cardinals.

"I wish these guys would go back to wearing baseball pants. What happened to the old days where they all wore knickers and stirrups? Society has really gone down the toilet", he bitched.

"Speaking of toilets. Do you have a second to look at the toilet in the new bathroom? I'm having a hard time getting it installed right and I know you've put a few in over the years." I asked.

"Not on a Sunday, Pete. The sabbath is a day of rest."

So there we sat watching pro athletes play a game being broadcast by announcers, technicians, directors, advertisers, a cable network and a local affiliate after a meal my wife spent HOURS preparing... and he can't have a glance at a wax ring because of the sabbath?

My guess is that Jesus would have set the rules (and television) aside and taken that opportunity to do service for another. But Sunday isn't about what Jesus would do, right?

Well... at least the food was properly blessed.

---

Permanent Link: Sabbath Lessons
Filed under: Family | Food | Mormonism

---

---