A day of rest

I am, and have always been, a huge believer in having a day of rest or a Sabbath. It is one of the things that my parents were extremely clear on and they also made it extremely simple for me to aquire that structure in my life. Get it done in six days, take a rest. I was most grateful of this during exam periods when the nerves and revision can nag away at you all the time...but not on Sundays for me. They never featured on revision timetables (unless I just wanted to enjoy looking at the blankness!) and I got a real break, it didn't even cross my mind to work on a Sunday.

Now, of course, things are rather different. Even before having children, I married someone who works on Sundays pretty regularly. At the moment, it is only once a month but that can be enough to throw the rhythm of life off. And then of course there are the small children and the working 24/7 and not stopping ever ever ever... Except the occasional grand day out on my own, kindly engineered by friends and A.

I still believe in a day of rest. And I don't just believe in it "spiritually". I think it is so important for every part of me, of us. Physically, emotionally, mentally and, yes, spiritually.

This has come up again recently for two reasons - one being "that book" (otherwise known as 7, by Jen Hatmaker, on loan to me from desert mum, and all about the excess in our modern western life and, after six chapters of hard fasting (clothes, food, spending...), she talks in the final chapter about Sabbath and a rest from stress), the other reason being the increased need for a day of rest when facing anxiety.

So how the heck am I going to do that?! I started some time ago making sure I did not use the washing machine on a Sunday (unless there was a dire need/illness...and then I would usually run a smaller load and avoid too much hanging out). It was a tiny step towards making Sunday different but it actually made a big difference. So now I'm thinking about other tiny steps. Tiny steps that give me more of a break and allow me to enjoy more. Enjoy my family, my friends, my church, my God...everything. Any suggestions of ways to not do all the same jobs on a Sunday are welcome! I'm considering a possible approach of not cooking on a Sunday but I haven't quite worked out how yet. Because, quite frankly, reheating can be a sufficient faff. Especially on an anxious day!

This weekend just gone I had quite a lot of rest due to being ill and it was good for me. We also had a family prayer time at dinner. Shocked the life out of us when E coherently joined in (only on the thank you section!). It was a little bumpy and rough round the edges but the kind of bumpy and rough that had "start of something good" written all over it. I hope! Here is to a different kind of day off!