Shabbat Shalom...

No, I'm not Jewish. I'm a Mormon who reads Buddhist poetry while listening to Russian liturgical music. But it has been a happy Sabbath.

I just read a nice article about how productive American workers are. It depends on how you define productive. Adding to the GNP? Oh, we're good at that...but adding to the quality of life...somehow I think we're being outpaced by, oh, just about everyone else in the world.

Which is why I love Sundays. I enjoy church services in the morning, hanging out with my friends and holding their babies during the various and sundry meetings. I enjoy the intellectual and spiritual stimulation that comes from interacting with others who share my convictions.

Most of all, I love coming home and taking a nap for an hour or two. Day of rest, indeed. Then we cook together as a family, watch a DVD of Mystery! or something fun, eat popcorn, and go to bed early to the sounds of Rachmaninov's Vespers or something similarly relaxing. It's like liquid sound that seeps into your brain and forces you to sleep. I don't know how Russians stay awake during their all-night vigils, which was what the Rach. Vespers were written for...talk about testing one's faith.

Had a nice walk today with Stephanie. We solved none of the world's great problems, Stephanie got five mosquito bites, and I think I sunburned the top of my less-than-adequately covered head, but I took a picture of a limp and wilted black-eyed susan that I think is cool.

I hereby call this sabbath to a close and deem it a perfect day.