Never On Sunday

Why can't cows give twice the milk on Saturday and

take Sunday off like it happened with the manna for the Israelites?

I asked my dad that once when I was young. If there was one time that I didn't like coming home to milk the cows it was Sunday afternoon. We would be enjoying a nice afternoon with family and friends. Then all too quickly, we had to stop to go home and milk the cows.

Milking the cows was the only farm chore that was done on our farm on Sundays. We did only what was necessary on Sunday. We did not do any field work even if the hay was ready to bale or the corn was ready to harvest. The fields would get a rest as well. We had a neighbor that thought we were crazy. He could never understand why Dad was not out in the fields on Sunday; especially when there was hay cut and the rains were coming in. But that was just proof to my parents that people are watching and one should live out their beliefs as best they could.

My parents believed that Sunday should be set aside for the Lord. So we would rise early to milk the cows and go to church. On Sunday afternoon, we would have dinner with family or friends. Or we might take a ride and look at the crops....That was always an interesting afternoon. [I say that in jest.] 

Oh, we were overjoyed when Dad would say,

"Look how tall that corn has grown." or

"That is a beautiful wheat field."

"Whoopee", or maybe a good eye roll was our response.

Most of the time, Sunday afternoon was set aside for napping. Funny, as an adult, we look forward to that Sunday drive or an afternoon nap, but as a child, there was nothing more boring. Learning that we need a day of rest each week was one of those things we just didn't want to learn.

Occasionally, my siblings and I could play a game of baseball or croquet but that came to an end all too quickly when it came around to milking time. Then we would hear Daddy calling, 'Let's go kids, it's milking time."

Of course, we hadn't yet learned the joy in worshiping and serving the Lord. We still had that selfish streak in us. That's why I asked, why the cows couldn't just give twice as much on Saturday so that we could have the whole day off to play or have some fun. And that's when Daddy's answer struck a chord in my heart. He answered me with,

"God would probably go along with that,

if we were willing to REALLY give Him the whole day."

Maybe that's when I realized that the Lord's Day should be just that .... The Lord's. I think that is what He had in mind when He said. "Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy."

Going off to Asbury College (now University) didn't change much along these lines. Sunday's at Asbury were pretty "holy" too. It was the only day that Sunday Dress (you know, suit and tie, or a Sunday dress) was required in the cafeteria.

Then in the  afternoon, it was back to the dorms for  an afternoon of rest. No mingling with the opposite sex. We called it "Holy Split". Again this was training to teach us that Sunday was to be treated differently, then the other days of the week. I hope it stuck with  the most of us.

Mandy

For a little fun .. Here's a song we used to used for skits at Asbury ...

[embed]http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p57nf-FvVxw&list=RDp57nf-FvVxw[/embed]

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