Thoughts on the Sabbath

I've been thinking about the Sabbath, and how our activities sometimes seem to belie the real meaning of the word, and yet at the same time prove its point. For active Mormons our "Day of Rest" can sometimes turn out to be the busiest day of the week. And yet there is a spiritual charge and renewal that comes from the sabbath day meetings that you can't find anywhere else. Today our day didn't have any "down time," or chance to rest until after we got home at 4:15. We were forced to stop while the pork roast did its thing in the oven. Our day started at 9 a.m., when we left for the tabernacle. That always, always sets us up for the entire rest of the day. It's like a preview peek into heaven, and today's broadcast was especially moving as it was celebrating Veteran's Day. We had time for a quick sandwich before going back to the JSMB for a sextet rehearsal, choir practice, and our 3-hour block of meetings. I got a new choir accompanist today and she gave the choir wings. We sang for sacrament meeting, and it was wonderful. The choir has grown so much bigger, and they've grown musically as well. It's such a privilege to stand as their conductor. They give me back so much. I will surely miss them when it's time to head back home. Fortunately, no matter where we are, the sabbath day stays the same and always gives back to us more than we invest in it. So even when it is sometimes exhausting, it's still a blessed day of rest.