Resolutions for 2009

I love to make resolutions and set goals. It gets me excited. And I can always think of plenty of things I want to do and become. Some of my resolutions for 2009 include getting more sleep, learning Photoshop Elements, giving more service to others, and saving money for a piano (Merritt thought I should have a financial goal). I have also set a goal to make the Sabbath more of a delight for my family. I started by introducing the tradition of a Sabbath candle.

This idea was inspired by our advent candle we burned for the twelve days before Christmas. The candle burned for about one hour each night during which we did something together as a family. My kids enjoyed doing that so much. And they got so excited every time they could blow the candle out! I remembered that when I studied in Jerusalem we learned about the Jewish tradition of lighting two candles to welcome the Sabbath day. This was done by the woman of the house. We tried it and liked it.

We light the candle just before dinner. After dinner we have some family time. We may read some stories out of The Friend magazine or play a game. We also council together as a family. We discuss needs and plans for the upcoming week. We each share something that we learned at church that day. We have scripture study, sing a hymn, and a have family prayer. The kids then blow out the candle and it's time for bed. My hope is that this tradition will set apart the Sabbath day and make it special for my family.