I try to not work on Friday night and Saturday during the day. If Caroline (my older daughter) wants to read a book - my goal is to read it as often as she wants. I try to cook something for my girls (and my wife potentially). Sometimes I get to play basketball early, and it is fun to do that then drink enough coffee that I am not tired the rest of the day.
This past week I decided to install a new garage door opener (motor and everything, not just some pansy remote). I happened to try to do this on Friday Night, and it ended up (as home-work often does) taking me most of Saturday morning. Now, I pulled it off, the door goes up (and down - which is trickier with those little sensor guys which almost ruined me) but I lost my Sabbath.
Lately I have even been able to encourage my wife in her Sabbath taking, and she got to take a short nap and run on Saturday. The irony is that I have been slowly encouraging her to plan around Saturday so she doesn't have errands to run and such. And, there I am freezing, feeling masculine because the motor is working and the light on the wall is green, and not resting, not playing with my daughter, not reading a book that has nothing to do with my graduate school, definitely not going to see a movie during girls' nap time (a new favorite Sabbath pass-time for me).
I am medium-ly convinced, and moving towards firmly convinced that we must plan out our "house work/home-work" throughotu the week. Mow the lawn on a Thursday afternoon (unless it is supremely relaxing to you... sometimes is to me; especially if there is a cigar). Hang that picture on Tuesday morning before leaving for work. Plan out what you have to "get done" at home, so that you can Sabbath.
Important note: I am not talking about the aspect of the Sabbath that includes corporate worship. That is certainly an aspect, and I will get to it. However, when it comes to the "on six days do all your work" aspect of the Sabbath I think we need to plan out our Home-Work and watch out that Garage Doors don't interfere with the 7th day. Good luck.
