There has been a big focus on the Sabbath day at church lately and it has given me a lot to think about. I really appreciate the idea of the Sabbath and being able to carve out time in my schedule for spiritual growth and rest. I know that the Sabbath is different for everyone, but for us it basically means that we don't go to work and we make it a day when we spend time with family, close friends, go to church, and try to take a step back and make sure that our lives are going in the direction we need and want them to go.
When you have a houseful of growing boys you don't experience a silent and extremely relaxed Sunday. But the boys know that we don't go to work and we try our best to make it so other people don't have to work on Sunday. (For example, we don't go shopping on Sundays.) We also like to keep all of our movies, music and screen time focused on spiritual and/or inspirational stories that help us to reflect on our own lives and make us better (not just entertained) afterwards.
We also focus on family time. We get together with Grandma and Grandpa, cousins, and friends who are practically family. We visit, uplift each other, and nourish our relationships. We do this to strengthen and support one another and to bring very needed laughter and happiness into our lives. We play games, share stories, and get caught up with each other's lives. We make plans to see each other next time. We marvel at how quickly the kids grow up and we age.
On the Sabbath we also go to church to worship, learn more about God's words for us, and to feel the Holy Spirit in our lives. We also try to do our part in teaching others the gospel and sharing our feelings and experiences that we have had. It is especially helpful to share how we have made it through trials and doubts in our lives and how we got through them. We all go through tough experiences and it can make us feel alone and weak at times. Just hearing other's experiences and triumphs through faith is very encouraging. Church is also a great time to find out how others in the congregation need help and prayers through their own trials.
God created the world in six days and left the seventh day for rest. When He said that He wants us to rest I believe He meant for us to rest from worldly cares. He wants us to take time to focus on why we are here on earth. He wants us to be truly happy and at peace through this challenging life experience.
Keeping the Sabbath day holy will look different for everyone, but I definitely recommend that you find a way to make it special and spiritual for at least part of the day. It has brought me and my family a lot of peace.
Here is a nice video from our church, The Sabbath Is a Delight: