This Sunday was a bit hectic, even though we prudently planned (and shopped for) dinner the night before, and my singing time was all finished by bedtime Saturday. The problems occurred when we realized that we were out of white flour because I have been trying to use up our food storage in anticipation of a summer move. (assuming the Force ever gets around to telling us where we're going, BAH!) Luckily we have a wheat grinder and loads of wheat, but as I was loading up the grinder I found myself wondering if grinding wheat is really a 'Sabbath' sort of activity.
As children Sundays were a bit of a drag since we weren't allowed to run around outside or do anything rowdy (which excluded all fun in our minds). I remember one Sunday driving home from church with Mom wondering aloud if we were going to make it home on the fumes left in the gas tank. She could have easily justified buying gas to make sure we didn't get stranded somewhere, but her reply to this suggestion was a statement which has been often repeated in the Slade household: "The ox isn't in the mire if you pushed it in there!" It's sort of loosely based on the Savior's response to those accusing him of breaking the Sabbath day. Luke 14:5: "And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?" (I'm assuming Mom didn't want to cause hilarity by referring to not pushing our ass into a pit. . . )
So, how often does my failure to plan constitute pushing the ox into the mire? By Orthodox standards I fail every Sunday, but we try to keep Sunday a more-or-less mellow family day in the hopes that we can focus on really important relationships. Let's hope that's what the kids remember, rather than the times I failed to plan and had to figure out substitutions for our dinner!
there’s nothing wrong with kids that trying to reason with them won’t make worse
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2 comments:
Yeah--like is it an "ox in the mire" when I'm too grossed out to do dishes or cook, so Ben spends his weekend and ostensibly some time on Sunday helping clean house, do dishes, prepare meals, etc? Maybe I'm feeling guilty because I'm not the one doing it like I should be.....can you tell? :)
My vote- Grinding wheat on Sunday is AOK. I know a family that fresh-grinds their flour every day. Plus, you DID plan for Sunday. Quite well, it sounds like. I've decided a few chores are okay on Sunday- those associated with the basic need to eat. Plus, how cool is it that you are using up that food storage like you're supposed to?!
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