Tag Archives: faith

Just Watch TV!

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I look forward to the weekends. I love being able to use my time more as I want rather than as I must.  I look at weekends as a time to refresh, bond, and catch up. This doesn’t make me unique – I know. Heck there are songs, stories, and clichés about looking forward to the weekends.

My family and I observe the Jewish Sabbath which runs from sundown Friday till one hour after sundown Saturday. During this 25 hour period, we strive to have our focus on more spiritual endeavors.  In addition, we spend time with family/friends, eat good food, dress nicely, and rest.  We do not use electronics (lights and ovens are left on) such as computers, television, phones, etc.  This tune-out of the mundane does indeed help to create a mental break from the previous week and is a way of preparing for the upcoming week. Each week, I greatly look forward to the Sabbath.

I looked forward to it just the same, but this past Sabbath was different. The children could not stop arguing. Our older son (BR) was rude, pushy, and overaggressive with his brother; the younger son (SY) was whiney, instigating, and inflexible. Everything that occurred produced a fight. I know many of you are probably shaking your heads at this point thinking something like – “kids arguing – been there, know that one.”  Me too. However, this time seemed different. It was as if they could not stop. Eventually, I insisted (actually, I yelled loudly but insisted sounds nicer) that they each go to their rooms and shut their doors. However, you know what I wished for – really – the television. I would have been happy to hear Thomas tooting, the Backyardigans going for a snack, Spongebob laughing moronically, or Dragonball Z Kai characters yelling. These sounds would have been music. Each child in a separate room watching contentedly and quiet – ahh. Hell, I would have brought them popcorn.  I know, I know, I shouldn’t encourage even more television watching, but damn it, I couldn’t take it anymore.

Peace and quiet on a weekend thanks to nonstop TV.  Have they written a song about that?

Be Free

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It’s getting closer.  I can feel it.  The countdown will soon reach 0.  Very soon, it will be ‘Houston, We have blast-off.’ In fact, by the time you read this, I might be on another planet.
Well, not quite another planet.  However, I will be on a vacation (a stay-cation technically, but that’s not the point).  As I write this, I can envision my mother’s finger wagging, “Don’t rush the time away.”  She has lectured me on this a time or fifty, and it is truly good advice, but I don’t want to hear it now.  I am sooo looking forward to my vacation. I’ll turn off the alarm clock (and be awoken by my children earlier than I would like but that’s a story I’ve told) and be lying in bed during rush hour.
However, the reason I am particularly excited is that the vacation is to celebrate a holiday, Passover.  It is an all-encompassing holiday that requires a ton of work to prepare for. In all honesty, my wife does the majority of it.  You know how sometimes you prepare for things and ultimately wonder, “Why did I bother?” This holiday is one where all the preparations are necessary and useful.
The theme of the holiday appropriately enough is independence. G-d, through Moses, led the Jews out of Egypt and slavery. The underdog goes free, the bad guys get punished. Pretty great story – almost Disneyish.  Anyway, with independence everything is possible.  The question is how do you use this newfound independence and freedom. It’s like graduating into adulthood. Many possibilities and challenges – up to each person to make the most of their chance.  So, the holiday provides a reminder to appreciate your independence, recognize your freedoms and utilize these gifts to make the most of what you have been given. Pretty great lesson, I would say.

A Heavenly Interview

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We all get frustrated with work. We all have those days. You know what I mean, you’ve been there. The thoughts run through your head:

Is vacation ever going to come?

How many more days to retirement?

How hard is it really to rob a bank?

How much money do really I need each month to live?

Can I FINALLY just win the damn lottery?

Then, the next day comes, and we get up in the morning and go about our busy day. Oh well, what choice do we have – it gets better, and besides, as I argue with myself, my kids like to eat.

I wonder if G-d feels like this. He (no, I am not a sexist, but ‘He’ sounds better than the Eternal Heavenly Being) must. How frustrating are we human beings? We make promises, swear, and pray, but do we really change all that much? We are still liars, thieves, killers, etc. There has to be a point where G-d wants to say, ‘what’s the point?’ He already tried the flood and that didn’t straighten us out. He gave us the 10 commandments and a whole lot of commentary, but how many people follow that carefully.

So, what if G-d decided, I’m tired of this job – so much responsibility and so little reward? What if He considered a new job? After all, the average person goes through 5 careers in a lifetime, so why can’t the Eternal being try something new. It’s time. Anyway, I figure He would go for something in construction, after all, he did build the world. Imagine the interview:

Interviewer: So, Mr. – how do you pronounce that name?

G-d: I have many names. Please just call me Mr. G.

Interviewer: Okay. Mr. G. Can you tell me about your relevant experience?

G-d: Well, I made the world.

Interviewer: I hear you buddy. I’ve been around too. Sometimes, it does feel like I built the world. Anyway, can you be more specific?

G-d: First, I made the heavens and the earth…

Interviewer: What do you mean – bridges?

G-d: Something like that. Anyway, I also made man.

Interviewer: Man? Do you mean you were a stay-at-home dad, raising boys?

G-d: Well, I am with all my children all the time.

Interviewer: You sound like a real family man.

G-d: You could say that.

Interviewer: We appreciate that around here, but we need people who can be flexible with their hours.

G-d: I am very flexible – I can work morning, day, or night, or any combination. However, I don’t work weekends.

Interviewer: Family time.

G-d: Religious needs.

Interviewer: I understand. Do you have any questions for me?

G-d: Thank you, but no. I have the answers.

Interviewer: Okay. We’ll, be in touch.

G-d: Thank you.

Unless he pulled some strings, I’m not so sure G-d would get that job. He might have to go back to his original job. After all, is that so bad? He could make tomorrow a better day. If we really put our heads to it, maybe we all can.

That is a Blessing

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I am a very lucky person, blessed I would say. With a busy life and great expectations and hopes, it often takes something or someone to remember the good in my life.

It was another early morning in the Bernstein household. This one was planned, though the boys did wake up even earlier than was necessary after taking turns crawling into our bed.  However, I don’t want to focus on sleep – not the reason I feel blessed. Anyway, the event that had my family and I stirring this morning took place at my older son’s school.  He and his class were putting on a play. They did all kinds of cute 7 year old things – dressed in costumes, said their lines (some shyly and some loudly), and sang (some on key and some not so much).

While the play was nice and my son put on a fine performance which clearly displayed how much he has grown since last year’s production – said his lines loudly, if a little quickly, and sung the words and did the hand gestures – there was more to it that made me proud.  This was billed as a Chumash or bible play.  After the performance segment of the play was complete, each student, or performer as they were this morning, was called down from the front stage to another centrally located area which is elevated.  At this second mini stage, families were able to join their child to formally present him or her with a Chumash and pose for a picture.  When we met our son there, my wife gave him the Chumash, and I had to keep from squeezing him in a big hug (I can only imagine how embarrassed he would have been) but instead placed my arm on his shoulder.

Later on that day, my son had the book open, sat on the window ledge, and was reading the weekly portion.  For all the pride I took in seeing my son’s performance, I felt even happier seeing him taking the book on his own.  My little boy who thinks any sentence that has the word fart in it his hilarious, my little boy who loves to splash in the bath, my little boy who delights in spending hours playing with lego is growing up. He is growing up into someone I am so proud of. That is a blessing!