A Bit of R & R
Are you tired? Can I get a witness? I think we all are!
I am an advocate of Sabbath. Not the Jewish tradition that is so beautiful that I wish I DID keep it, but the weekly day of rest that no one takes anymore.
That's the one.
Humanity has rejected it.
Last weekend was spent in pajamas, wrapped in a blanket, nursing a weary, weakened body and binge watching Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce. I was resting. It was completely out of necessity. Overworking and over-busying my life is a regular occurrence for me, and it always ends up with a big crash that requires hibernation for a few days or more. Resting required.
Today? I can't seem to relax, and I still feel really tired. My body was rested, or maybe more like halted. I can't tell if I relaxed. Maybe I didn't. Maybe there is a fine line between resting and relaxing. Maybe that's why those two words are thrown together in the old cliché "R and R" when referring to time off.
Exodus 20:8-11 The Message (MSG) says:
"Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Work six days and do everything you need to do. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to God, your God. Don’t do any work—not you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your servant, nor your maid, nor your animals, not even the foreign guest visiting in your town. For in six days God made Heaven, Earth, and sea, and everything in them; he rested on the seventh day. Therefore God blessed the Sabbath day; he set it apart as a holy day."
I'm pretty sure he meant it.....
The sabbath day. The Sabbath! Its HOLY. It is a holy-day. Yes, a weekly holiday! Do you notice it is even capitalized? Oh my goodness!
I'm here thinking, "Yeah, but what does Sabbath really mean. Is it realistic in our age? I mean, really?"
The answer is in the dictionary. And it is YES.
"Sabbath"
2: a time of rest.
Holy Sabbath, Batman, that's it! Humans need to get some respite from the other six days they worked, and worked, and worked. Taxi driver for the kids? Taxi driver for other people's kids? Tax driver for coworkers? Coaching soccer? Going to the gym? Going to the gym again? On call 24/7 because someone in the world says you should be? Bridal shower on Saturday? Baby shower on Sunday? Football on Monday?
WHERE IS THE REST?
I don't think it matters what day it's on. I think it's been recognized worldwide that its either Saturday or Sunday since we've all adopted that five day work week. But then there's the second job. And volunteering. And church. Really, how did we decide to put church into a day of resting? Ask my friends why I like Saturday night church. They'll tell you that I'm selfish with my Sundays because Sundays are for reading the newspaper and drinking coffee. I seldom agree to even hang out with them! There's the tradition of Siesta. Daily Sabbath. I LIKE this idea. Yes, every day. Afternoon rest.
You see? It doesn't matter how or when. It only matters that you DO.
Life throws you curves. I get that. I've been busy, busy, busy 10 straight weeks without a day of rest. Seventy. Straight. Days. I didn't say no when I should have. There were even moments when I knew I should be declining! But sometimes it just HAPPENS.
Here's the scoop though, friends. Its necessary to your health. It helps you de-stress. And if your stressed about de-stressing, then you need to take some time to REALLY get into a practice that helps you do just that.
Are you tired of feeling tired?
Me too.
I don't have any great advice for you on how to de-stress. I'm just trying to allow my brain to catch up with my body---or visa versa. I just know it takes WORK to REST. Oh bother!
Take a little time. Turn off the dang phone. Read a book. Read THE book. BE STILL. Close your eyes and go to your happy place. Get up and actually GO to your happy place. But rest while you're there. Get some R and R. Do the opposite of Rail Roading yourself! Rest and Relax. Sabbath. Make it a verb. :-)
I am an advocate of Sabbath. Not the Jewish tradition that is so beautiful that I wish I DID keep it, but the weekly day of rest that no one takes anymore.
That's the one.
Humanity has rejected it.
Last weekend was spent in pajamas, wrapped in a blanket, nursing a weary, weakened body and binge watching Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce. I was resting. It was completely out of necessity. Overworking and over-busying my life is a regular occurrence for me, and it always ends up with a big crash that requires hibernation for a few days or more. Resting required.
Today? I can't seem to relax, and I still feel really tired. My body was rested, or maybe more like halted. I can't tell if I relaxed. Maybe I didn't. Maybe there is a fine line between resting and relaxing. Maybe that's why those two words are thrown together in the old cliché "R and R" when referring to time off.
Exodus 20:8-11 The Message (MSG) says:
"Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Work six days and do everything you need to do. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to God, your God. Don’t do any work—not you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your servant, nor your maid, nor your animals, not even the foreign guest visiting in your town. For in six days God made Heaven, Earth, and sea, and everything in them; he rested on the seventh day. Therefore God blessed the Sabbath day; he set it apart as a holy day."
I'm pretty sure he meant it.....
The sabbath day. The Sabbath! Its HOLY. It is a holy-day. Yes, a weekly holiday! Do you notice it is even capitalized? Oh my goodness!
I'm here thinking, "Yeah, but what does Sabbath really mean. Is it realistic in our age? I mean, really?"
The answer is in the dictionary. And it is YES.
"Sabbath"
2: a time of rest.
Holy Sabbath, Batman, that's it! Humans need to get some respite from the other six days they worked, and worked, and worked. Taxi driver for the kids? Taxi driver for other people's kids? Tax driver for coworkers? Coaching soccer? Going to the gym? Going to the gym again? On call 24/7 because someone in the world says you should be? Bridal shower on Saturday? Baby shower on Sunday? Football on Monday?
WHERE IS THE REST?
I don't think it matters what day it's on. I think it's been recognized worldwide that its either Saturday or Sunday since we've all adopted that five day work week. But then there's the second job. And volunteering. And church. Really, how did we decide to put church into a day of resting? Ask my friends why I like Saturday night church. They'll tell you that I'm selfish with my Sundays because Sundays are for reading the newspaper and drinking coffee. I seldom agree to even hang out with them! There's the tradition of Siesta. Daily Sabbath. I LIKE this idea. Yes, every day. Afternoon rest.
You see? It doesn't matter how or when. It only matters that you DO.
Life throws you curves. I get that. I've been busy, busy, busy 10 straight weeks without a day of rest. Seventy. Straight. Days. I didn't say no when I should have. There were even moments when I knew I should be declining! But sometimes it just HAPPENS.
Here's the scoop though, friends. Its necessary to your health. It helps you de-stress. And if your stressed about de-stressing, then you need to take some time to REALLY get into a practice that helps you do just that.
Are you tired of feeling tired?
Me too.
I don't have any great advice for you on how to de-stress. I'm just trying to allow my brain to catch up with my body---or visa versa. I just know it takes WORK to REST. Oh bother!
 |
| My grandkids named this my quiet room. |
Take a little time. Turn off the dang phone. Read a book. Read THE book. BE STILL. Close your eyes and go to your happy place. Get up and actually GO to your happy place. But rest while you're there. Get some R and R. Do the opposite of Rail Roading yourself! Rest and Relax. Sabbath. Make it a verb. :-)
Comments
Post a Comment