The Sabbath!

Yesterday (Friday) was Preparation Day, or Erev Shabbat, the day we prepare for the Sabbath when we do no work and set the day apart for YHVH. We especially wanted to finish loading the giant dumpster in the driveway with anything needing to be hauled away. For days, Richard has been working in the yard and I in the house clearing things previous occupants had left behind.

The biggest problem was one of those motorized exercise walkers so many folks buy and do not continue to use after the first month. This one was in the yard, and it was heavy and awkward, so Richard could not get it up over the tall sides of the dumpster. He was determined, however, not to leave anything in the yard, so he spent quite a while dismantling the thing in the hot sun.

When the truck came and hauled off the dumpster, we hopped in the coach and took it to town to celebrate. We loaded the rig with propane and diesel and filled up ourselves with a couple of thick milk shakes, then scooted back to Stephanie's place and backed into the driveway, all ready for a restful and holy Shabbat.

We have been unable to locate a Messianic congregation in Utah so celebrate together in our home with recorded praise songs, scripture reading and prayer. We still consider ourselves as part of the Beit Yisrael congregation even though we are on the road.

One of our congregational leaders was ordained today but we don't have fast enough or reliable enough internet service to watch live. We try to download the recorded services each week to watch later, but it takes hours and sometimes does not work at all.

Today, we celebrated the splendor and beauty of YHVH's creation on a drive through Cedar Breaks Nat'l. Monument and Dixie Nat'l. Forest. At Brian's Head Ski area, there seemed to be a motorcycle rally and along much of our drive there was a bicycle race. The scenery was stunning and we also enjoyed seeing the racers' valiant efforts to ride the mountain roads. We always love to see bikers as we both have a motorcycle history, Richard with trail bikes and me with road machines. For a while in my younger days, a Zundap 250 was my only vehicle.

Along our way we enjoyed an encounter with a group of peacocks in the street in Summit, Utah. Most of them ambled off the roadway after we stopped and gave them a chance to look us over, but one determined fellow stood his ground for a while. We had hoped to see other critters, but the sporadic rain showers must have kept them from coming out to dine and watch the tourists and the racers.

Later, after we were home a while and had bid farewell to Shabbat, we drove to town and lingered over dinner at IHOP, visiting with the waitress and considering which plays to see during the Utah Shakespeare Festival for which Cedar City is so famous. There is much to see and do here and we plan to enjoy our stay!