I love taking a day of rest each week, and usually it is either a Saturday or a Sunday depending on which day my husband is not on fire-shift.
But I find myself getting pulled back into busyness, or obligations. I can think of seasons in the past where I was diligent to protect our day of rest. The rewards were refreshing.
But here I am untying knots from my busy week and overcrowded mind on the day that I had planned to rest. grrrrr….at myself:-)
Do you take a day of rest each week, or month? What are your thoughts on a day of rest and how do you stay committed to it? ( This is not a legalistic question!)
I always take a day of rest, Sat. or Sun. I don’t commit to one or the other, but I always take one. I try and just be alone at home. If I leave the house it is to drop in on a friend and just visit. I come from a background of hard work and no days off. It was difficult to take the time off with out feeling guilty at first. But now I just do it. It helps me to remember that I really control nothing.
Adam
Adam, I can see how working so hard for a long time could make it difficult to rest…or to feel like it really is “okay” .
I admire your discipline to it.
Storie
My day of rest is on Sunday for the biblical reasons of observing the Sabbath Day. I look forward to this day each week. As I rest at home with my family I put aside all normal everyday tasks..laundry, house cleaning, yard work, shopping etc. It is so nice to enjoy the day without harboring guilt over unfinished tasks…they will remain until the next day. It is nice to enjoy extended worship and meditation, hand write letters to those far away, and write my personal history for my children. These and other things would normally be smothered under a day full of obligations. I believe the Lord was wise in commanding a day of rest where we can refocus and recharge before a busy week.
Storie, you have asked a question I have been thinking about, or i should say the Lord has been putting that on my heart this past season. Normally sunday has been my catch-up day of a week of being busy, to get ready for monday and that week to begin. I just was thinking about it over the weekend, that during the week and I am going to get ready for Sunday so I don’t have to work on my chores. I can be available to help my husband outside or just hang out with the family. I did that this week and I can’t tell you how good it feels!
How am I going to stay committed?
well, I am hoping I will remember how good it felt and continue on. The Lord as me in a season that I am gently forced into it anyways. I think the Lord has to do it that way with me, because I can get so focused on other things.
Most all my days are full of rest…too much of a good thing can be bad.
I am coming from a very different place in this season of my life. I was a workaholic at one point in time, rushing from job to job and trying to be supermom/wife. Now my body doesn’t want to move, it’s a forced rest, one I did not choose. I suppose it was chosen for me – I do believe God is sovereign…
Take it from me and my burned-out body…rest. Rest as He prescribed.
i need to get more diligent about a regularly-scheduled day of rest, and what that really means to me…
(is your husband a full-time firefighter?)
yes, he it!
10-12 24 hr shifts each month. He is a structural city fire figher, so he does not leave town to fight wild land fires…
Michelle
Storie
Thank you for the great words of wisdom…..
I have been laid down by the Lord before too…. I would rather just choose to do it myself!
Jac,
Thank you so much for your words of wisdom here….so refreshing. I just love you and who you are!
love,
Storie
Pearl,
How am I going to stay committed?
well, I am hoping I will remember how good it felt and continue on
this is good…..a really good reminder.
love you friend!! Storie
rest is oh so important, and oh so hard to achieve. this is definitely a discipline i need to work on. thanks for the reminder. hope you get your day of rest this week!
that’s awesome. i’m proud to know him via you.
Brandi,
Thanks…I am planning ahead better this week!!
you are so sweet:–)
Alece,
Thank you…I am so proud of him….and what they do for us.
Did you read my posts about our 2 buddies that were killed in an off duty atv accident just 2 months ago?
the song that you said you needed to hear was inspired from their deaths, and just not understanding God’s plan.
i started reading your blog right around the time of your recent posts on the subject. it was so moving…
thanks for letting me know that song was birthed from that. (i’ll email you soon!)