Shabbat as it Should Be

Just when I needed a chance to rest, Shabbat arrived!

We were invited out for dinner and we had lunch at home.

I had invited guests, but they were unavailable -- that turned out to be a bracha! (blessing)

I really enjoyed being just with the family for lunch.

We all spent a lot of time running around last week; it was nice to have some "down time" (as my father likes to call it).

I love spending time together on Shabbat.

Before we moved, we used to have guests all the time, for both meals. After we moved, and I began my various treatments, it took a long time before we felt able to host. Even when we did, we only hosted one meal.

I discovered the simple joy of just being with my family on Shabbat.

Since then, we almost never host both meals.

I did not stop to consider that if we went out for one meal and had guests for the other then we would not have any time just to ourselves. By the time I figured that out, I had already made the invitation.

Luckily, when we found out our friends could not join us, I refrained from inviting another family. At the time, I just felt so tired, I did not feel up to hosting.

Later, I realized that we really needed that time together as a family.

It was not a "perfect" Shabbat. Some of the kids were not feeling so well. In fact, after lunch EVERYONE took a nap. (Rarely do the kids sleep on Shabbat!)

Still, I enjoyed the conversations we had together.

Even more, I enjoyed just being together.

That is really what it is all about.



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA