While I am truly a fan of sabbath and rest, I confess that, unfortunately, I do not always execute this aspect of my week as well as the other things I plan in the days of my week. I am working on it, which I find ironic, really, this having to work at resting. But, I will get there because it is important to me; my body, mind, soul, and spirit feel the effects of pushing through the days without an eye toward slowing down. Perhaps that is why I both appreciate and also dismiss my teenagers’ asking me if there’s anything they can do to help me when they sense my ongoing busyness on the weekends, the days when I crave respite more than other days.
And yet I realize how God reminds me of His invitation to rest in Him and to seek the sabbath He laid before His people long ago through the voices of my girls. Eventually, I cannot ignore their admonishment (especially from my 17 year old), to take some down time. Her words may vary, but her insistence is consistent and difficult for me to ignore. My heart fills to an overflowing for these two young women who have become so deeply empathetic as well as compassionate. I am grateful to be on the receiving end of their care and concern. I am also working at responding to their reminders more readily, willing to alight like a butterfly pausing its flight to warm its wings in the sunshine.
In fact, as I sit at my keyboard, I am sipping a long-anticipated cup of coffee in the quiet of the afternoon, windows thrown open and the spring breeze filling each of the rooms of our home with other reminders, of new life and new beginnings and renewing of once-dead things. These are the rememberings I need most today, that life is being filled with the goodness and no-matter-what love of the God who calls buds and flowers to dot the trees and the landscape. As I breathe in the warm breeze of these first signs of spring flowing into my living room, I am also made new, new hope sprouting within my heart and soul and I exhale gratitude.
Sips of coffee and quiet reflection bring the ordinary into a sacred space and I am grateful for my teenagers who today have prompted me to take these moments, these much-needed moments, and be renewed. This morning I prayed for God to guide me in wisdom today. Sitting here I realize not only that He has but how he has—through the voices, the very lives, of my teenagers. They will tell you without hesitation how stubborn I can be, especially when it comes to relaxing (hopefully they might also let you know their headstrong apple does not fall far from this stubborn tree, but it’s all good). However, I will also tell you without hesitation how tenacious they can be, offering their help, their support, and their words daily as we move through the days.
For today, I am absolutely enjoying a little bit of sabbath on my Sunday afternoon. It’s amazing how you can almost feel your soul stretch out within you when you choose to take a moment of rest. Right now my soul is like a cat stretching long in a sunbeam, eyes fluttering in deep contentedness, and warmth washing over it, lolling it to a catnap. I owe this moment to the voices of my girls, to their example of choosing favorite activities this afternoon, and to the whisper of God guiding me in wisdom to do likewise. To heed the invitation to abandon shoulds and To Dos in favor of sabbath. To do so is indeed life giving.