Sabbath Lessons

I've been thinking about this blog a lot lately. What it means and what its purpose is. When I first started my blog, it was the popular thing to do and an easy way to keep in touch with friends. Then, as we moved away, it helped our family stay in touch with our day to day dealings. As we have moved back to Idaho, the main purpose has been to log the kids childhood for our records and for our family yearbooks.

Hopefully, when all is said and done, every boy will have a set of books containing their first 18 years of history. But as my focus has shifted, so have my wants for this blog. I feel it very important to share stories from Scott and I to leave to our posterity. I don't want these precious memories to get lost over time. I want my great great great grandchildren to have a piece of me.

So with that, I share my first story. A sabbath lesson I learned from my dad years ago.

Growing up, my parents always provided opportunities for us kids to work and earn money. Yes, we had jobs during school, but we also ventured in small family side jobs. When I was in high school, our side job was Avon. Not selling Avon, but distributing it. We were the in betweeners. The semi would come into town, we would unload it and drive the boxes so the "Avon ladies" could hand it out to their costumers. We were kind of like cheap UPS drivers for Avon.

One particular wintry weekend, the truck came in late due to a storm. That meant delivering the next morning... on Sunday. I hated working on Sunday. So, my dad and I got up bright and early and got to work. We were almost done and on track to make it back in time for church.

We stopped at a ladies house were Avon was a major income for their family. She had about 20-30 boxes. I remember running my heart out to deliver these boxes as fast as I could. I dropped the last box at her door and hustled back to my Dads beat up Trooper (his car). I buckled up and waited for him. But he never came.

The snow had been coming down all night and it was thick. It was cold outside and I was cranky. I just wanted to get home to get to church. I knew if my dad didn't hurry we would miss the first hour. Or be late at best. As I looked out the window to see what in the world was taking him so long, I saw one of the most Christ like examples I've seen to this day.

The lady had come out and started to shovel her walks. She had nothing more than a light jacket and canvas shoes on. It was obvious she was cold and the snow was heavy. I witnessed my dad take the shovel from her and plow that deep thick snow with his own tired arms. He worked until it was done and with a smile told her to have a good day.

He wasn't just observing the sabbath, he was living the sabbath. He may have thought it was a simple act of kindness, but little did he know his baby girl was in the front seat of his car soaking up his goodness and watching his Christlike behavior. He had to have been tired and no doubt cold, but he put her first and didn't miss the opportunity to serve. I learned more in those 10 minutes than I did in the three hours of church that day. I learned that action means livings the gospel. Not just learning about it, but acting on it. He served that day, because that's what Christ would have done.

I'm so grateful for my dad and the great example he has always been. He has a heart of gold and I was blessed to live in a home that he never told me about it, but always showed me.