Making the Sabbath a Joy

This morning I woke up excited it is Sunday. I have to admit that often I wasn't as excited about Sunday as I could have been. For years I had callings that took a lot of time and focus. Not to mention six little darlings to get ready and try to convince that yes, church is where you want to be. Did I forget to also include the big, adult darling?

Now I realize how I was trying to do too much and consumed with control, perfectionism, and any other dysfunctional attribute that I like to embrace so that my life can be hard and I win martyr of the year.

In an effort to serve valiantly and let's face it, sometimes to just prove that I could do an outstanding job (see the definition of priestcraft 2 Nephi 26:29), my focus was on the task at hand and not on the peace and joy the Sabbath is meant to offer. And my focus certainly wasn't on the Sacrament, which is the most important part of the day.

I love the admonition given in the scriptures in the simple words, "hold thy peace." It isn't performance nor certainly any one's approval of us that should be our measure. It is the peace and joy we feel when we are progressing at just the right speed that can hold unto those feelings. And Sunday should be the one day of the week that peace and joy can reign.