Sunday Mornings

[fallenleaf]

I love Sunday mornings, which is amazing because for my entire childhood and adolescence, I dreaded them.  Even for the period where I believed, I still dreaded the amount of effort that Sunday mornings took.  Church was exhausting and required me to be on my best behavior.  We would usually be at the early service and stay through the second one.  So, my morning would start around 7am, getting showered, dressed, fed, and ready to go.  And, it would not end until 1pm, or whenever everyone got done chatting after the second service.  When I abandoned my faith, the amount of effort and strain just got magnified, because I had to keep up appearances in that situation.  I had to keep appearances up 24/7, really, but most of the time my behavior wasn't under scrutiny of those who knew "how" I should act.

 

Now, Sunday mornings are my time.  They are probably the most relaxed hours of the week.  I can get up late.  Well, as late as I ever do which is around 9:30.  I can wander around the house in my boxers.  There's no rush.  There's no stress.  I grab a nice coffee and sit in my chair in my back room.  The sun shines in and the trees wave to me through the windows.  I browse the internet and think of what I want to get done for the day.  At some point, I need to get some flea stuff for my dogs and probably the house and yard.  Those have started to become a real issue.  I might mow the yard today, also.  I have to get a workout in.  Today is leg day.  I will probably get that done this evening.  I keep telling myself that I need to move my workouts to the mornings, but I never actually get around to that.  I have some budget stuff to handle.  I am the treasurer of the volunteer organization and a couple people are waiting on me writing them checks.  But, for now, I sit here wrapped in a blanket and just relax.  I have gained six hours a week. Six hours a week for me, and my wife, to spend together as we wish.  She likes to sleep in, so I usually get until 11:00 all to myself.

 

My family never interrupts this time, because they are all at church.  I can see them in the afternoon, if I wish.  But, I usually don't.  Sundays are not a good day for me to be around.  The kids are all high on religion and want to talk about it, and I have a policy about being honest.  My sisters don't like that very much.  I don't tell them any more than they are able to handle, and I don't elaborate, but the fact that their uncle doesn't go to church is enough to cause drama.

 

I hope everyone else is able to enjoy this time as much as I do.  If you're still in a situation where you have to attend church and/or keep up appearances, I hope you get through that period as quickly as possible.

[TEG]

I still remember the first Sunday of my life that I did not go to church because I no longer had a reason to, not because I was sick.  It felt weird, like I was in an area of an airport that I wasn’t supposed to be in.  Now I enjoy it like you do.

 

The lasting effect that church had on me is that I hate dressing up.  Growing up I was always wearing clothes that I had outgrown a little, and wearing a tie felt like hanging from a noose.  I think I have gone close to 10 years between wearing ties (weddings and so forth); if I have my way I will never wear another one as long as I live.

[older]

With you on that. I hated school so weekends were like being on probation. But then Sunday came along and spoiled the freedom. The biggest thing I learned from going to church and Sunday school is the meaning of the word "boredom." 

[TABA]

Yeah I love Sunday mornings now too (I should mention that I often go to mass with my wife but that is generally on Saturday evening, followed by a dinner date). 

 

The dogs get me up pretty early but then they and I go back to sleep on the couch so we don’t wake my wife back up again.  We sleep until we wake - no alarm - and then it’s coffee - in front of the fire in these winter months.  It’s bliss.  

 

Weather permitting (meaning the trails aren’t too muddy), I like to go for a two or three mile hike in the woods nearby later in the morning.  Being in the outdoors is something like a spiritual experience for me, but free of the baggage of religious dogma.

 

Long may you enjoy your Sunday mornings!

 

P.S.  Where do you live that you’re thinking of mowing the lawn in January???

[fallenleaf]

I live in Florida.  We mow the lawn all year round here, although it slows down a bunch in the cool months.  It's a little chilly right now (64), but not too bad.

[florduh]

Sunday Mornings! Breakfast with other heathens, usually about six of us. We rotate between a few favorite restaurants and all have outside seating. Of course if the temp drops below 70 we huddle inside. 

 

Beats the shit out of church.

[older]

16 hours ago, TABA said:

Being in the outdoors is something like a spiritual experience for me, but free of the baggage of religious dogma.

   

Here ya go:

 

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.
Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.
The winds will blow their own freshness into you,
and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.”
— John Muir

 

[fallenleaf]

21 hours ago, florduh said:

Sunday Mornings! Breakfast with other heathens, usually about six of us. We rotate between a few favorite restaurants and all have outside seating. Of course if the temp drops below 70 we huddle inside. 

 

Beats the shit out of church.

 

The only reason I considered the local UU congregation was to have a bunch of people to commune with on Sunday mornings.  But, it was a long drive and I didn't share a lot in common, plus I felt out of place with my age and everything.  That probably would have improved, had I spent more time.  Now I find that sense of community in the fire service, and we spend time hanging out.  We actually have a hangout planned this Sunday morning.  Well, it's testing a bunch of hose to make sure it is still able to be kept in service, but it is still better than church.  LOL

[florduh]

35 minutes ago, fallenleaf said:

 

The only reason I considered the local UU congregation was to have a bunch of people to commune with on Sunday mornings.  But, it was a long drive and I didn't share a lot in common, plus I felt out of place with my age and everything.  That probably would have improved, had I spent more time.  Now I find that sense of community in the fire service, and we spend time hanging out.  We actually have a hangout planned this Sunday morning.  Well, it's testing a bunch of hose to make sure it is still able to be kept in service, but it is still better than church.  LOL

There used to be a restaurant here where the local FD had breakfast most mornings, including Sundays. They were always served in takeout boxes. Smart!

[Derek]

I used to be chief of a small volunteer fire department in a predominantly religious community. Occasionally, we would "make an appearance" in church on Sunday morning in dress uniform just to appease the masses (usually on some special occasion like christmas or easter). I was always relieved when the service was over. Thing is, I use a LOT of 4 letter words in my everyday speech, and it was kinda hard to keep that in check while I shook the preacher's hand as he was welcoming my crew to gods house lol. But I would rather have been checking hoses

[Margee]

1 hour ago, Derek said:

I used to be chief of a small volunteer fire department in a predominantly religious community. Occasionally, we would "make an appearance" in church on Sunday morning in dress uniform just to appease the masses (usually on some special occasion like christmas or easter). I was always relieved when the service was over. Thing is, I use a LOT of 4 letter words in my everyday speech, and it was kinda hard to keep that in check while I shook the preacher's hand as he was welcoming my crew to gods house lol. But I would rather have been checking hoses

You ole' Newfie, you!! Lol  

Hope you're doing well my friend! 

[fallenleaf]

I was riding along on a rescue, when getting my EMT certification.  The rescues and fire department are combined here, so you'll have both working out of one house.  It was a Sunday morning, and they all decided to go out to eat for breakfast.  They called a second house, and we all met up at a place that was between both stations. It was a local place that was familiar with the department.  We showed up and they were really cool about getting us seated and served as quickly as possible.  They didn't pack everything to go, and I never asked, but I did wonder what would happen if we all got called out in the middle of eating.  Based on how familiar everyone was, I am certain they have dealt with that before.

 

I have been to a couple church services, for similar reasons and for funerals.  It isn't great, but I am fine.  I understand the way things are, and I am not going to get far if I fought that and got offended.  Still, I enjoy hose testing more than the church, even when it is the old moldy-smelling 5" supply lines.  I would rather be soaking wet, exhausted, and stink like old hose than sit through a church service in my dress uniform.

[◊ Weezer ◊]

Other than to attend funerals I haven't been to church in over 20 years.  The last time I went I got restless leg syndrome during communion time, and although I was doing my best to stay awake, went to sleep during the sermon.  We were visiting and sitting near the front with my wife's sister and husband who was a deacon. My wife punched me in the ribs to wake me, I jumped, and people behind us giggled.  That was the straw that broke the camel's back.  I got up and walked out and have never attended another worship service.  Wife didn't speak to me the rest of the day, and the relationship with my B.I.L. was never the same again.

 

[◊ crazyguy123 ◊]

On 1/27/2020 at 4:59 PM, fallenleaf said:

I live in Florida.

Now I understand why it says on your profile that you live in America's wang...

 

Anyway, just so I have something to contribute to this topic, I'll say that when I first stopped going to church, Sundays were awesome because I could relax as much as I wanted and just do fun things for the most part. Unfortunately because of the job I had, Sundays stopped being quite as fun as they were at first, so it was just me sleeping because I was too tired to do anything and then going back to work again Sunday night.

 

Now that I am starting a new job that will allow me to have weekends off more often, that means I will get to enjoy Sundays once again. It will be even better when winter is over (I live in Michigan, so it is too cold to do anything outside), but when it is nice out again, I will probably be going on the local hiking trails like I used to do. I definitely look forward to it.

[fallenleaf]

Yep, I'm in Florida.  The "America's Wang" thing is from well over a decade ago.  When I first joined here, it amused me.

 

Today is was a chilly 50 degF (10 degC) here.  That's pretty cold for us.  And, hose testing is usually a pretty wet job.  When the wind picked up, it was not pleasant.  But, we got a large portion done before noon.   It helped that a large chunk of the hose was new, and was just being tested so it could go in service.  The rest was really old stuff that spends most of the time in storage.

 

If I do go career, I will be working every third Sunday (or more often if I pick up extra days).  But, that is still fine.  Sundays are still nice because I am not in church.

[florduh]

1 hour ago, fallenleaf said:

Yep, I'm in Florida.  The "America's Wang" thing is from well over a decade ago.  When I first joined here, it amused me.

Yes, and my favorite is that last little dribble.

[Joshpantera]

It was in the 40's this morning, and I was out surfing the cold front in Sarasota County.......

[fallenleaf]

Another wonderful Sunday morning.  I'm sitting here, drinking my coffee, and about to dive right in to a math book.  I realize, for some people, a math book sounds even worse than being stuck in church.  But, we all have our own peculiar perversions.  Don't judge me for mine.

[older]

12 hours ago, fallenleaf said:

Another wonderful Sunday morning. 

   

Bah humbug.   I went out to my workshop this morning and started to play with my hobby. I pulled an Item out of my parts department and set it on the workbench. I turned around and the Nasty Shop Fairy had taken it and it was nowhere to be found. I searched everywhere, including down on the floor looking under the workbench, and in the trash. And it should be noted that I keep a clean shop, no piles of junk or loose tools, nowhere for the Item to hide. Lots of Navy language.  Ruined my whole morning. Closed up the shop, went back into the house and sulked the rest of the morning. After nap and some chocolate, I returned to the shop and discovered that the Nasty Shop Fairy had hidden it in a box of parts that I had previously spread out on the workbench and then gathered up and put away.

 

So to the Nasty Shop Fairy, I defer to Willy Shake-a-spear:

[Thou art] a knave, a rascal, an eater of broken meats; a base, proud, shallow, beggarly, three-suited, hundred-pound, filthy, worsted-stocking knave; a lily-liver’d, action-taking knave; a whoreson, glass-gazing, superserviceable, finical rogue; one-trunk-inheriting slave; one that wouldst be a bawd, in way of good service, and art nothing but the composition of a knave, beggar, coward, pandar, and the son and heir of a mongrel bitch. 

….

You are not worth the dust which the rude wind Blows in your face.

 

And no, I would NOT have been better off in Church!  

[◊ Weezer ◊]

You should hsve been a political speech writer!

P..S.

The nasty shop fairy stole my cordless impact screw driver last week.  The most used tool in my shop.  But on second thought, God may be punishing me for not going to church??

[fallenleaf]

That is nothing.  I once spent two solid weeks at work looking for signed paperwork in every conceivable spot in my office and room.  I even got others to help me search.  Finally, I was at the point where I started rescheduling meetings, to get the papers signed again.  As I was explaining my frustration, I said, "If only I had just put them in the folders where they belong, they would be right here."  At that point, I picked the folder out of the rack that had been sitting on my counter the whole time, and it flopped open to the signed paperwork.

 

Apparently, in a fit of sanity, I had filed the papers exactly where they should have been!  I never do that. 

 

Now, this sounds like I am less organized than I am, but I never usually file the papers until they are complete.  The fact that they aren't filed is a reminder that they are still outstanding.  But, I must have cleaned up at one point and decided to put them where they really belonged.

[older]

5 hours ago, fallenleaf said:

Now, this sounds like I am less organized than I am,

  

Winnie-the-Pooh, who was a great philosopher, once said, “One of the advantages of being disorganized is that one is always having surprising discoveries.”