This Monday finds me and my family trying to pack as much "Summer" into the next 2.5 weeks as possible while preparing for a great/ busy start to the new school year!
Tonight we have our first PTA meeting of the year at school and Rob and Rhett have their first soccer practice of the new season. Last night Rob and I worked late into the night trying to get the all the crown molding in place in Rhett's room. As soon as I push publish, I 'm going out to the garage to paint all the boards for the chair rail. We still have to paint the lockers, but the curtains are ready to hang thanks to my Mom! Rhett's room re-do is going slowly because we can't ever take the time to get it all knocked out at once. Instead, we have to give a few hours here and there. This process a bit frustrating for Rhett and for us, but it is what it is.
Tomorrow the kids and I are going on our last trip of the summer with my Mom, aunt and cousins. We are all excited to go, but I confess I haven't finished all the laundry from last week's trips. I'm not sure how we will get packed and ready by in the morning. More midnight oil? Which brings me to the point of this post...
In Sunday school yesterday our teacher said something about Sunday being the day of rest because God set that pattern in creation. He said it was not that God "worked up a sweat creating the world and needed a rest." Rather he set a pattern for us to work six days and rest one because he knew we would need to work and to rest. Even though the teachers comments were more of an "aside" to his lesson, the whole concept of having a day or rest just zinged me!
A DAY OF REST? Somewhere along the way I totally forgot that we are supposed to have a day of rest! Ever since Rob started grad school and I became a weekend warrior home re-decorator last Fall, I'm not sure we have had a day of rest. For me life has been "do as much as you can in between keeping up with the kids and sleep when you can't go anymore." Actually life has been that way for longer than I care to admit. That's not how I really want to live my life!
So as we start this new school year I'm going to work very hard to make Sunday a day of rest again. I 'm not sure it will happen right away, but gradually I want to take steps to restore Sunday to a family day of resting and reflecting. (After church of course!) Feel free to hold me accountable on this and ask how it's going. I can use all the help I can get!
That's all the time I have for now but I'm curious... Does your family have a day a rest? Just wondering...
four things | seven
20 hours ago
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4 comments:
my church had a retreat last weekend and sabbath was a topic of much discussion -- the aside your teacher made is exactly what was presented to us. the sabbath was created for us just like the trees, birds, air and water.
Sunday is the day of rest in our house. It has been since we were married. We come home from church close the blinds, turn off the phones, and nap. With football games and golf in the background. Emilie does not nap anymore but quietly reads or plays in her room. After naps we play but still just chill. I cherish each Sunday in more ways then one!
We cherish Sunday afternoon naps at our house, along with time to just "be still" with the newspaper or a good book.
Having done a lot of study on spiritual disciplines in the last few years, I can tell you that Sabbath rest is definitely a discipline. It takes practice, practice, practice.
I suggest you start small and work your way into it. And rest time can include some play time with your family. It is a rest from the normal hustle and bustle of our lives. The key is to keep it simple and not make a "working" production out of it.
Perhaps a key element would be simply putting it on your calendar or PDA. Treat that date/time with just as much importance as you do other dates and appointments. It is a challenge in our society, but I highly recommend it!
After a few days of craziness, we will have a day of rest. With Scott not having a set work schedule, our days that we rest vary. I think it is very important to have those day to chill out! It keeps us close as a family. I am a person who has always promises my family we would not over-schedule our lives. We have seen a couple of friends marriages fall apart, so we take it seriously in house. I agree with Nellie, it takes lots of practice and committment. But the rewards are so awesome.
Enjoy your last 2 weeks of summer!
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