I think it’s easy to fall into a routine that makes life seem a little ordinary and mundane. Making Sunday different…making it special… and making it a delight allows us to have a day we can really look forward to, and a day that can be a great blessing in our lives. The Lord has commanded us to honor the Sabbath and keep it holy. As we honor the Sabbath, we use this time to rest from our physical labors, to focus our worship, and to draw ourselves closer to the Lord.

When our family was young, we called Sunday our “family day.” Yes, it was a day for us to attend our church meetings, but afterward it was also a day when games were played, hymns were sung, scriptures were read, Come Follow Me lessons were studied, and other activities were enjoyed together. Our Sunday family time added fun (and sometimes a little drama) to our weekly routine. It helped create many long-lasting memories that became part of the fabric of each of our lives, and it helped make our Sunday worship something we could look forward to.

Now that we are empty nesters, I think I have come to appreciate not having to worry about whether or not each child is showered, dressed, and armed with their quiet books before we leave for church. But as I’ve gotten older and perhaps a little wiser, I think I have also come to appreciate something even more: the specialness of Sunday worship itself.

For me, one of the most meaningful parts of Sunday worship is preparing to take the sacrament. In fact, I sometimes wish we had a little more time to prepare ourselves for this ordinance. I consider my partaking of the sacrament to be one of the most important and sacred events I will participate in for the week. I am grateful that I get to do so at the beginning of my week – it is truly one of the highlights of my Sunday.

I know I probably should be singing along with the rest of the congregation as the priesthood prepares the bread and water, but I often like to use that time to quiet my mind and prepare my spirit for the ordinance I am about to participate in. I think with the limitations of our human minds, we have difficulty comprehending certain concepts such as time, distance, size, and temperature. For example, when I consider that the nearest star is 93 million miles away, or that the dinosaurs lived around 230 million years ago, my mind has difficulty grasping the magnitude of those numbers. In much the same way, I also have difficulty comprehending the depth and magnitude of my Heavenly Father’s love for me.

As the sacrament hymn is being sung, I like to close my eyes, reflect on my week, and think about the many ways God has blessed me. As the bread and water are blessed, I listen carefully to the prayers and allow their words to sink into my heart. I am a sinner and make mistakes. And yet, I stand amazed when I think about the fact that Jesus Christ suffered for me and made it possible for me to repent, change, and overcome obstacles that I could never overcome on my own. I use this time to recognize both my successes and my failures. I think about the ways I have fallen short, but I also think about the progress I have made. I reflect on my desire and willingness to take upon myself the name of Christ and to allow God to prevail in my life. Finally, I make a commitment to have a better week, to be a better husband, a better father, a better disciple, and a better follower of Christ.

I am a simple guy, and I consider myself to be quite ordinary. Nevertheless, I am deeply grateful for the peace, reassurance, trust, and love that my Lord has given me. Perhaps that is what makes Sunday such a blessing. It gives me an opportunity to slow down, to remember what matters most, to renew my commitment to Christ, and to begin another week with a little more faith and a little more determination to be better.

I am grateful for the Sabbath. I am grateful for the sacrament. And I am grateful for the opportunity each Sunday to draw a little closer to my Savior.