And He said to them, "Who shall there be among you, who shall have one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it, and lift it out?" (Matthew 12:11)
We started our weekly Sabbath with good intentions. My wife and I even talked about it during the week indicating to me Sabbath was becoming part of our weekly routine. We even began to make some plans. With our growing flock, we have found planning to be very necessary.
"Okay, there is the soccer game on Saturday and we have to work a little on the kitchen," I said. "And I am going to have to work a little on Saturday night."
"And I'd like to make a nice dinner on Friday night," my wife countered, "and feed the little lambs breakfast in bed on Saturday morning. We can work on the kitchen after church on Sunday. Okay?"
"Okay," I said, trying to catch up to my wife's altruistic ambition, "Let's plan on beginning our Sabbath on Friday night with a nice dinner followed by a family game night before bed. On Saturday morning, we will wake the kids with waffles and bacon, go to the soccer game, and finish up on Saturday night with a trip to the pumpkin patch."
It sounded like a great plan and we embraced it with much enthusiasm. Little did we know, the pit was looming before us.
My wife placed the roast in the crock pot on Friday morning and the delicious aromas wafted through the house all afternoon. Dreams of the glorious Sabbath supper sustained my labor throughout many a trial and travail during the day. I cam home Friday evening with much anticipation. I sat down with the lambs at the trough. My wife went to check the roast, Alas! The roast was not done. Therefore, Plan B was initiated albeit with less fan fare than Plan A. The reluctant roast continued its insouciant simmer as we partook of pizza and root beer.
Alternatively nourished, we proceeded to the family game night portion of our "Sabbath rest." A rousing game of, "Toss the Pigs" ended in a spectacular double-trotter for our youngest son who was catapulted to victory, gleefully unaware of the agony of defeat sousing the souls of his older siblings.
An imprudent game of UNO evened the score and the pit yawned wide before engulfing our little lambs in self-loathing and enmity. They went to bed under some duress.
Morning came earlier than usual and my wife and I brought breakfast to our woolly offspring, "Why are you doing this?" the middle lamb asked. "Because we love you," his mother responded. The pit became a little shallower.
After breakfast, we loaded up the car and went to the soccer game. We have given up fall sports for our three sheep as we acclimated to a new school, but the team was desperate and our oldest was willing. We went to the game and I didn't understand most of it, but some friends were there and they granted me permission to hold a brand new baby lamb. With three boys, I am not very practiced with the female variety of the species, but she was unaware of my inexperience and smiled and squirmed happily in my arms.
While our oldest played soccer, our two youngest found some new friends. They ran and played and soon it was time to go. I had to give the baby back, and admit I was feeling some loss. It was then I overheard our middle son, who had worn his favorite shark-tooth necklace to the game, tell his new friend that he could have his treasured possession. Later, he told me, "He really wanted it, Dad, and there are other shark teeth in the world."
How true. And with that statement, the lamb rescued the shepherd from the pit.
Thus refreshed, our family headed to the pumpkin patch. It was a beautiful afternoon. Our boys jumped on hay bales, went through a maize-maze, tried their hand at the hoola-hoop, and teeter-tottered till dusk. It was hard for me, but I spent thirty dollars on squash...but it was worth it. The sheep were happy and their shepherds were happy and we all headed home to a beautiful roast dinner!
Of how much more value then is a child of God than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath. (Matthew 12:12)
Church Stopping. Less doing. More being.
Photo from www.freeimages.com #1379109
No comments:
Post a Comment