A Memory

I was recently visiting with Gloria and she was telling me about her talk she gave at Church.  I'd not been there and she was sharing parts of it with me.  Her parents were Pentecostal, she was raised in Ogden and through a series of events involving the Church, and activities, and priesthood blessings- she felt watched over and eventually moved and joined the Church in her 20's.

As a convert, I told her I also could look and see that the Lord had blessed me in my life, in preparation to receive the Gospel. I remembered something that was a part of my entire life at my non-LDS home.  A special happening that blessed me always.  It didn't dawn on me for a long time but years later I realized that my Mother really kept the Sabbath Holy.  She had us clean the house up to her high standards on Saturday.   She never wore her weekday work slacks on Sunday but wore a dress, had makeup on her beautiful face and her brown hair just curled and waved to movie star perfection.  There was nice music playing.  There was absolutely no work to be done on Sunday.  It was a day of rest.  She wouldn't even sew, as she said that her Mother told her-- she'd have to pick the stitches out with her nose when she got to Heaven if she sewed a single stitch.

She made sure that my sister and I were dressed for Church.  True, she never took us but she made sure we went each Sunday.  She would tie a dime or 2, in the corner of our clean hankies, for the offering plate that she knew would be passed during the Pastor's pleas for funds to pay his bills, feed his children, and buy everyone shoes.  (I did wonder how much my dime helped him but I did feel good to give and contribute at his plaintive request)

After Church we'd go home to a wonderful family meal.  Sunday she prepared a special meal, not our regular fare, like maybe fried chicken.  Afterwards things weren't quite as sabbath observing as we'd go catch the bus from Spenard into Anchorage and go to whatever Musical movie was featured at the luxurious (to us anyhow) 4th Avenue Theater.  

When we came home we'd eat a bite and then my sister and I would go reenact whatever movie we'd seen, in the outdoor theater that was only in our minds.  As the typical older sister I would direct, do the staging and cast myself as the star.  We'd sing & dance on our sawhorse stage and enjoy every moment of our fun! 

I have always enjoyed Sundays and having a meal together and going to Church together.  My Mother gave me wonderful memories and a great example of keeping the Sabbath Day as Holy as you know how.