November 5, 2006

Taking Back Sunday

I've read numerous blogs where reference has been made to what they do with their Sundays now that they no longer use so much of it to go to church.

My typical MORMON SUNDAY:

Wake up at 7 a.m. and rush to get ready in order to be on time to church.
Arrive just as the first song is ending in Sacrament Meeting.
Read lesson during Sacrament Meeting since I didn't prepare until Sat. night, late.
Get home around 12:20.
Eat as if I've never eaten food before.
Endure all-day headache that started during Sacrament Meeting.
Help husband do laundry that he started while we were at church.
Watch a movie or play a board game together while continuing laundry.
Order Chinese and feel guilt that I'm not really keeping the Sabbath Day holy.
Put kids to bed and watch another movie.
Go to bed around 10:30.

TODAY

Woke up at 9:30, see that the kids had been up a while.
Lounged around in my lounge pants...Watched a shark show and then a show called "Eaten Alive" about parasites such as tapeworms, round worms, etc. I'll never be the same again.
Ate a bowl of granola at 10:30 and cooked daughter eggs per her request.
Showered at 11:30.
We all ate lunch at different times due to not being hungry at the same time. I had chips and salsa at 2:30 for lunch.
Drew and perfected one of the two faces on my current portrait commission while husband watched TV beside me.
Got up to play Water Works with kids.
Remembered laundry we started, threw another load in.
Made dinner and ate as a family.
Watched The Amazing Race while working on portrait more.
Dishes done.
Write blog about my Sunday.
Realize I've had no headache on Sunday since quitting the Mormon religion, remember that every single Sunday previous to leaving was a big headache...
Youngest to bed at 9:00.
Rest of us going to bed at 10:30 or so.

I love taking back Sunday.

10 comments:

Janet Kincaid said...

It's amazing, isn't it? I know the biggest thing for me when I stopped going was, I discovered I wasn't frustrated any longer on Sundays. Even though I may spend a good portion of Sunday doing chores around the house, I find it infinitely more relaxing than when five hours of my day were being taken up by church.

Today, for example, I slept in a bit, worked on my PostSecret postcard, raked the leaves in the backyard, did my laundry, and talked to my sister. All in all, a good day.

Bishop Rick said...

Janet,

Post your postcard on your blog. Actually, then it wouldn't be a secret, huh?

Sunday makes me almost dread weekends. What a telling statement.

Just one of many said...

Crap! I can't believe I forgot it was Sunday!! Maybe that is a healthy sign?!?

Bishop Rick said...

Oops, just noticed you already posted your postcard...oh well, I've been late to blogs alot lately.

Janet Kincaid said...

Sorry for the confusion there over on my blog, Bishop Rick. I posted my own PostSecret early in the morning. Then my sister called and we had a lengthy conversation about it. Turns out, she'd been looking at my blog that morning wondering if I'd post something about Umrao Jaan. So, my secret is now buried. Typical.

Freckle Face Girl said...

It is nice isn't it???

Jazzy said...

SML,

That is great! I am so glad that your Sunday headaches are gone. It sounds like a terrific day! My hubby let me sleep in yesterday. I did not get up until 11:00!! I never sleep in that late. I must have needed the sleep. We went out for brunch at a really cute cafe called the Black Bear Cafe about 1:30 or 2:00. It was a really nice day!

Margaret said...

day of rest, like God intended

Thunderchops said...

Isn't it marrrrvelous?

bluestocking said...

My Sundays, before I left the church:

Take shower
get way over dressed
try to eat, fail
go to meetings
scribble all over the program about how misogynist, homophobic and racist the brethren were; how full of shit the lessons were; how stupid the doctrine was
come home, cry
call friends, complain about how misogynist, homophobic and racist the brethren were; how full of shit the lessons were; how stupid the doctrine was
eat something, feel shitty
remind myself that I didn't have to go through it for another week
start to feel a little better
go to bed

after I left the church, on Sundays I would

go for walks, go to brunch, talk to friends, work, not work, etc, but mostly, NOT CRY

It's been, oh, let's see, 17 years since I last attended church as a practicing Mormon, but I still remember how miserable I was every sunday after meetings. As much as anything, it was just nice not to feel so very embattled once a week.

Holly (aka BD)