I Love Sundays: Tuesday's Reflection

I love Sundays. 

Here's why:

Sunday begins with worship. How blessed we are to be members of a congregation where we are inspired to live our faith in the world and challenged to continue growing and deepening our practice of faith. This is a place where I find sanctuary when I need it, but also  connection to the world outside our doors. 

And friendship --for in our few years in this place we have developed so many warm friendships. How wonderful it is to be known, to have community, to share stories and life's ups and downs, and to know this is where I can receive and offer support when needed. At the same time I often have the sense that the next person I greet may become a new and meaningful friend. 

Sunday continues with brunch always at the same place, Turtle Bread Bakery, where we can settle into reading the New York Times.  I begin with the book review and my husband with the front page. Yes, we are creatures of habit.

Once home I move into the garret where I organize myself for the coming week. I open my bullet journal to the next couple pages and create my calendar and To Do lists for the coming week. Doing that helps me relax into the week. Yes, I see, it will, in fact, be possible to do what I want or need to do.  I see the spaces that are open for writing time. I begin to open my heart to the spiritual directees with whom I will meet in the upcoming days. I smile when I think of the happy and special events ahead of me.

This week is Holy Week, and the evenings towards the end of the week are set aside for worship services, and I think about how I want to prepare for them. Extra time for meditation in the mornings, for example. 

With my lists made (lists that are added to as the days go by) I often write my Tuesday post--this post--on Sunday afternoon. I don't do that to save time later in the week, although it is nice to know that I have a post prepared before the week really gets underway, but I feel open and refreshed on Sundays. Ideas seem to come more easily on Sundays.

The rest of the afternoon varies--finish reading the paper or read a book. Maybe go for a walk. I remember years past when I was working full-time and our family was young. Sunday afternoons were packed with grocery shopping and doing other errands, as well as house tasks and kid activities. Such a different pace in my life now. Sometimes we have friends or family for dinner on Sunday evening or take my Dad a meal, and I enjoy the preparation for that. On this particular Sunday we are going out for dinner with our family to celebrate my birthday. Now nice is that. 

Sunday evening is like most evenings. We find something good to watch on tv, like Masterpiece Mystery, and then to bed at our usual time, knowing another week with all its possibilities and gifts, and perhaps unknown challenges is ahead of us. We are ready. 

Sundays offer a certain rhythm. One that agrees with me, a sort of Sabbath time. I hope the ease with which I enter the week brings a bit of calm and receptivity to the coming days. I feel blessed on Sundays, and my intention is to extend my blessings as I move forward from Monday to Saturday. 

May your coming week be one of many blessings.

An Invitation
What are your Sundays like? I would love to know. 

NOTE: I wrote this post before the tragedy in Paris. I'm sure many of you have memories, as do I, of being at Notre Dame. It is hard to imagine the loss of its presence and my heart aches for the people of Paris and for all those fo whom Notre Dame was a place of pilgrimage, for worship, for solace, for majesty.