A Do-Nothing Sunday

Some people, as I understand it, have Sundays that consist of flurried activity, early rising to get to church on time, and numerous activities on a tight schedule. By the end of the day they are exhausted, and more then ready for a more restful Monday! (Did I exaggerate a little here or not? You decide.)

But Aardsma Sundays are never like that. Ours consist of lazy naps and games, a nice sleep-in, and only one or two activities that are either spontaneous or loosely planned to provide for the inevitable getting lost on the way. (Just kidding...we only get lost every two or three weeks.) Our secret? Well, mostly the fact that we home-church.

Home-churching doesn't always mean relaxed, do-nothing Sundays, but in our case it does. So, what is a Sunday normally like around here? Well...

It is normally about 7:30 before the first signs of life appear. Caleb, the youngest and full of energy, bounces early out of bed and, with as much noise as could be expected, bangs around the house enjoying his own type of a do-nothing Sunday morning. He pours himself a bowl of SSC (Special Sunday Cereal--the rest of the week we eat things like pancakes and muffins), and then, when it is eaten, either bounces back into bed with Timmy, or lays in the living room listening to a tape or looking at a book.

Here's one who didn't enjoy a sleep-in. This friendly spider, who lives in our window, was hard at work building a new web long before any of us woke up! Photo by me.

By 8:00 I am awake and enjoying the delicious thought that I don't have to get up and make breakfast. I always am sure to have an interesting book to read on Sunday mornings, one that I can read in bed for an hour or two. Stretched out it my warm, cozy loft-bed, I read for a half-hour before my cat makes her appearance. In a few seconds she is performing her do-nothing Sunday ritual--she curls up at the end of my bed to keep me company.

Mom makes her appearance around this time. She eats breakfast and gets dressed, and starts to 'putter around', as she expresses it. 'Puttering around' means that she tidies up the kitchens, prepares some of the SSL (Special Sunday Lunch), cleans up the garage, and maybe even washes a floor or two. This, she insists, is her own special way of relaxing on a do-nothing Sunday.

By 8:30 signs of life begin to appear. My cat is snoozing soundly, but faithful dog Buddy isn't! He appears in my doorway to say his weekly Sunday hello. Sometimes I ignore him, sometimes I talk to him, but either way he's off again in a minute, enjoying the special privilege of a morning inside instead of outside.

From my bed I can hear Mom working in the kitchens. Timmy is also awake by now, and has eaten breakfast. He and Caleb play in the living room. They don't have to do the animal chores on Sunday. Instead, Matthew goes outside around this time to do the chores.

Timmy, reading 'Big Red', and enjoying a peaceful morning. Photo by me.

Around 9:00, Beka and I appear from the depths of our cluttered rooms. Sometimes I'm up by 8:00, and sometimes Beka doesn't appear until 10:00, but we are generally both eating breakfast by 9:00. We pour bowls of cereal, and head back to our rooms to eat it, another special do-nothing Sunday privilege. A second helping, and then we surrender our bowls to Mom, for her to wash as part of her 'puttering'.

Around 9:30 we begin to make preparations for church. Dad has either been sleeping until now, or has been up since 5:00. Everybody starts to appear in the living room, dressed up in dresses or clean shirts. Caleb brings with him a box of crayons or a marker or two. Timmy brings his note-book and Bible. Beka and I arrive with all sorts of handy-crafts...latch-hook one week, embroidery the next. Matthew, carrying a hunting magazine or book and his red Bible, comes too. We settle in various chairs and couches, and begin to wile away the time before Mom and Dad arrive. Matthew reads his magazine, Timmy and Caleb draw or read, and Beka and I work on our various crafts.

By 10:00 the service begins. Dad gives a few announcements, and then we sing the opening hymn. A two hour service follows, including readings from various books, a Bible lesson given by Dad, and another hymn or two. Throughout the service most of us employ our hands with our crafts, or maybe something more useful. This week, for example, I brought to church a jumbled mass of pink yarn, which Beka and I untangled, and Beka rolled up into a neat ball.

We are all starved and ready for a good Sunday lunch by 12:00. Mom and her faithful assistant Caleb prepare the meal while the rest of us tidy up our belongings and then 'hang around' until lunch is ready. We enjoy the special food, and then scatter all over the house and yard while Mom and Caleb tidy up.

Caleb doing the Sunday dishes. Photo by me.

Then follows a long, do-nothing Sunday afternoon. Matthew is more industrious (or maybe just busier) than most of us, and spends some of his time working with his animals, tidying his room, or practicing archery with his bow. Beka, armed with a book, may spend a few hours on her hammock or in her room. Sometimes, when reading material is scarce, she wanders around the house looking bored until she strikes on something interesting to do. I inevitably have something to do with "The Aardsma Weekly", maybe an issue to edit and post, maybe some pictures to take, and sometimes, when time has been short, an entire Weekly to write.

Timmy and Caleb do all sorts of things. They 'build things' in the garage, tag after Matthew, read books, play games, wrestle, lend Matthew a hand with one of his various projects, or maybe just hang around and be bored.

Dad often lies down for a nap after a good Sunday lunch. Mom soon joins him, and for a half-hour or so all is quiet in their room while they sleep. Mom rises quickly, and begins her 'puttering' again. Dad continues to sleep for another half-hour after she gets up, and then begins HIS version of a do-nothing Sunday afternoon. He may get out the machines and till the garden. Maybe he spends a few hours corresponding via e-mail with friends and family. Or maybe he rallies his forces (i.e., Timmy and Caleb) and tackles a larger job.

Mom 'puttering'. Photo by me.

Every other week is a 'do-something Sunday' and on those weeks, around 4:00, we all pile in the car and go fishing, or hiking, or take a leisurely and sickening (motion sickness, that is) drive over bumpy back roads and through small, lots-of-stops-and-starts towns.

But by supper-time we're back at our house for supper and then another do-nothing hour or two. Depending on whether Mom has been able to rustle up a decent movie, we may spend those two hours watching some educational or classic and sometimes not-so-classic films. This is enjoyable for all, especially Matthew, who rarely gets to see a movie he enjoys.

By 9:00 we're all a little tired, and Timmy and Caleb go off to bed. The rest of us gather in Mom and Dad's room for a 'meeting'. Beka, Matthew, and I collapse on Mom and Dad's big bed while Dad sits at the computer and looks through the garden organizer and other files. Beka, the garden manager, takes notes on what needs to be done this week in the garden. A few other topics are covered, and then we leave Mom and Dad in peace. Matthew and I have to say good-night to Beka, and so, one at a time, we appear in her small room to 'chat' for a while. (This nice little 'chat' often turns into a half-hour conversation, much to early-to-bed Beka's distress!) But no matter how long we spend in her room, we have to go to bed at some point. So I grab my cat and retire to my room for another good read before switching off the light, exhausted by my do-nothing Sunday!

Buddy, all worn out from a long, lazy Sunday! Photo by me.

The Weekly Bible Verse

John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Bits and Pieces

The work on the porch is coming right along. All the porch supports are in now, and the rafters are also completed. This week we hope to get the porch roof on.

Speaking of roofs, we recently had our steel roofing delivered. We ordered Burgundy Fabral roofing, and it was delivered on a huge semi truck! It was really neat to watch the deliverer working with his remote-controlled crane to lift and stack the heavy metal. Beka and I watched from the house, and we thought it was amazing! The whole system went like clock-work, and we now have three big 'bales' of metal roofing in our front yard, just waiting to be put on our roof.

Dad and Beka actually rolling back the old metal on our roof! It was pretty neat. Photo by me.

A Word About The Weather

We got some rain this week, and it came, of course, as we were in the middle of opening up our roof for construction! Oh well, we needed the rain and were grateful for it. But we need a little more now. Maybe we should open up the roof again!

A Word Of Wisdom

If you have a dog who likes to sleep on the couch, never let it in the house with dirty paws on a cold morning!