04 February 2008

Lundi Gras and a Goy Shabbat

Lundi Gras: the day before Mardi Gras when you have to start eating treats like mad so they'll all be gone by Wednesday.

But on to more serious matters: those clever practitioners of Judaism have a utility of hiring non-practitioners to do the housework for them on the Sabbath. I don't need my housework done (I mean, I do, but we've all gotten used to not having it done). I just want to go to church during Lent. We all know what a struggle one hour a week is. Now factor in another hour, conveniently scheduled at bedtime. Now factor in that attendance at these services is comparatively low and your regular help may not be there. Now factor in newborn in flu season and doctor's prohibition on public appearances for 6-8 weeks which, given the nastiness that's been going around over at the school, we're taking seriously. Obviously what I need is a goy shabbat, Lutheran/Lent version, to come over to sit with the baby collection, or at least the younger half of it, for an hour every week (and six or so hours during Holy Week). But I can't ask anyone from church, because then I'd be keeping them from going (even if they won't anyway), and I don't know anyone else, and I don't have a babysitter budget. This is going to be one ash-less Wednesday. :(

3 comments:

The Rev. BT Ball said...

Perhaps you should demand a morning service from your pastor, say 9:00am on Wednesdays in Lent. This is good for the aged and for the kiddies who are falling asleep at 7:30 at night. Of course a morning service would mean you have to get them all dressed and out of the house by 9:00am. Mrs. Fr. Ball has become a 10:30am mass attendee of late.

Rebekah said...

Capital idea, especially since nobody loves scheduling additional services like my pastor. ;) I think I may be able to talk him into it.

Reb. Mary said...

The number of church services/events that must be foregone has long struck me as one of the bitter ironies of the CSPP/Frau Pastor gig. I don't generally fret too much about missing voters' meetings, for instance, but the last couple years I joked rather bitterly that I was giving up church for Lent. This year I can't complain so much (even though I will) because our services start at 7 and New Boy won't be here till after Easter--so here's hoping that I'll make most of the Midweek services. But I'll be thinking of you :O