Have you taken a break lately from your normal routine?
Sabbath, as I define it is time set apart for rest. Do you remember the last time you had a time like this?
Several years ago, God nudged me toward a Sabbath season. I said no to things I would have normally done. I made a point to carve out time in my week for fun. Sabbath meant anything that brought me joy, helped me to slow down.
So what did I do (or not not do)?
I went to therapy each week (mental health is important y'all). I took a class just to learn something new. I enjoyed long dinners with friends. And napped if I felt like it.
These days, I look back on that 4 months of my life with such a smile. I was GOOD to myself. I felt the affirmation of my Creator: "You are good!" that the busyness of life had taken away.
But as we know from the traditions of the great world religions, Sabbath doesn't have to be a big chunk of time like this. It can be an hour, a day or a week as long as the time is set apart (aka Sabbaths are best when you stay away from your phone or computer).
Also I need to point out: you can still take a Sabbath if you are retired. (Retired people are often some of the busiest people i know!)
I love this quote from Wayne Muller, author of Sabbath: Finding Rest and Delight in Our Busy Lives: “Sabbath requires surrender. If we only stop when we are finished with all our work, we will never stop, because our work is never completely done.”
We can't do everything. It's ok to stop. It's ok to disappoint people being unavailable.
But how does that play out in real life?
Maybe it means saying YES to something you normally think is a waste of time. Maybe you need to pick one household chore that you don't do on your "Sabbath day." Maybe it means clearing your schedule for an afternoon and just seeing what you get into (or not).
Whatever it is, I hope you find some time to rest this week. And know as you rest that God is with you.
XO
Elizabeth
P.S. A great book on this topic is Julia Cameron's The Artist Way. It's a book that invites more rest, play and creativity. Listen to Julia describe what that might look like here.
