Its Sunday! “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” and “find rest”. Since life most days for me is a constant whirl wind of sleepless nights, changing diapers, laundry, cooking for our food intolerant family, cleaning, teaching, and training. I think in some ways I have thought for the past 7 years (since my first born) I was invincible. I can do it! I can do it without rest. I can do it on my own. I can do it! Whatever “it” has been I needed no one; and ‘rest’, what is that? Much to this stubborn mom’s surprise I began to feel exhausted, angry (more), beat down, and disorganized both physically and mentally. I began to ask myself what good is a wife, mother, daughter, or friend that has not filled her own soul? WOW?! Really?!? Did I really stop to think of myself? I’ve been so busy pouring into others I have completely forgotten about “ME”!!
This realization has not been easy to swallow. I still do not like asking for help and chances are if I swallow my pride and ask I must really need it. I have also had to do a lot of soul searching (still in progress). So I ask myself, what are my needs? What do I need in order to be all that God desires me to be?
I do not have all the answers (that is for sure) but what I do know is this. No one can do it alone! No one person can solve all the problems of the world (although I may try). We all need rest! We all need Jesus! We all need to be held accountable for our actions. We need to stick together. We were not created to “do it alone”! We need community and fellowship. We need to invest in ourselves in order to better invest in others. SOOOOO….
I have recently adopted some new ‘habits’ some new “ways” as a result of my starting to feel worn out. I get up earlier (yeah, I know rest?!?) this is for my own sanity! I NEED coffee, I NEED a shower before my kids awake, I have joined an online accountability bible study/work out group that I “check in” every morning with, I read something encouraging everyday, I have been going out once a week or every other week with friends, and I have been ‘planning’ my future. I have also been intentional with those that myself and family choose to spend time with. I’ve been praying more, serving more, and planning more.
So you ask, if you are adding all of these extra’s to your life how is it then that you feel rested? You see it is less of me and more of Him! I am rested because I am choosing to live intentionally. It is so easy to be consumed by the ways of the world. It is so easy to listen to the ‘negative’ voices in our society. It is so easy to find ourselves desiring the things that were never intended for us to begin with. So as I choose to ‘rest’ I may answer my phone less, I may not respond to text messages as promptly, I may not come to ‘x-event’, and I may not always make you happy.
However, that is OK!! I’m working on a path to ‘righteousness’. A path to see that my husband is loved and cared for. A path that my children feel safe, secure, loved, educated, and trained to go into the world armed with nothing but the best. A path that would make God proud. A path of contentment with that which I am given. Lastly, a path to ‘change’. Through encouragement, commitment, obedience, and love.
I hope you will join me in making this Sunday a day of rest!
