Jesus wants us to enjoy life. Rest refreshes our souls. It relaxes and recharges us. It helps us to be more productive during our non sabbath times. It reconnects us to God and to others.
What does a day of rest look like? By this I mean a true day of sabbath: no work involved. Even if it is just for a few hours.
It will be different for each person. Let me share what it will look like for me. I have two children that are 15 and 9. I can take a sabbath day but I need to be creative with my approach.
Here are my thoughts:
My twice a day Centering Prayer session is a must. I sit with God first thing in the morning and then again in the early afternoon. My sits are usually 20 minutes each. Perhaps I go thirty each time now.
My wife and I enjoy to watch movies and Netflix series. It most likely will include this if my wife can join me. If my wife joins me it will also include a cup of French pressed coffee. That is the best way to enjoy a good cup of coffee. It gives the coffee a wonderful, full and bold flavor.
My daughter and I like to walk. In the evening I grab the dog leash, ask Josh if he wants to come along and ride his bike as the four of us stroll the neighborhood. In case you are wondering the fourth is Sandy our golden doodle.
If it is a Saturday and it is college football season, a Sabbath for me is to watch my Pitt Panthers play their Saturday opponent. I love college football. There is an excitement in the air. The crowds roar and the bands play.
I love to read. Sabbath is a good book: fiction or nonfiction. I love to learn new things. I enjoy to check out new authors whose works I have not read.
My son likes pinball and ice cream. Sabbath is spontaneous trip to the local arcade followed up by ice cream at Dairy Queen. The rest of the family makes out on this routine. I usually bring it home and we all enjoy the soft serve.
Lastly, rest is to just sit and watch. Maybe I sit in a mall and watch. Perhaps I just sit in my family room and watch the kids go about their fun routines.
I would love to hear your ideas of rest and sabbath.
Go Further:
Rhythms of Rest: Finding the Spirit of Sabbath in a Busy World by Shelly Miller . Feel free to check out my review here.
Enjoy a short piece on Sabbath by Amos Smith
Amos Smith, Healing the Divide: Recovering Christianity’s Mystic Roots
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