Receive your Gift of Rest
Life is full and the days are busy! I believe that we have been given 7 days in our week, but one is for REST. It can be hard to slow down and truly rest because we feel like it’s a waste of time, or we feel lazy or we do not know what our bodies need to rest.
It has been a journey, but my family has created a rhythm of rest on Sundays that I now crave to help energize me for the week ahead. Before I share what rest looks like for me, know that everyone needs different forms of rest that are beneficial for that person. I think what matters most is having a day that looks different from all the rest. Our day is Sunday, but someone else may have another day of the week. We are all on different journeys, so everyone’s day of rest can and will look different. I love the picture of a journey because it gives us a picture of change. You can start small to set up rhythms one at a time that will help you find nourishment for your mind, body and soul.
I remember several years ago when my husband and I were in a Sunday school class talking about the Sabbath. We were at a table with another couple discussing practices we have as a family on Sundays. One thing they shared was that they have a special breakfast for their family on Sunday mornings. One that everyone can get excited about! My husband also said he did that growing up with his parents. We loved the idea, and knew right away that was a rhythm we wanted to cultivate with our family. The breakfast has changed over time, but the practice of sitting around the table in the morning with a delicious meal and conversation with one another has not. My kids know on Sundays they will get a sweet treat from Team Rose bread (a local family in town who makes the best breads), Applegate Sunday bacon, organic pasture-raised eggs, and colorful fruit and talk about what we will “Cease and Celebrate” for the day. We are also so grateful for a church community where we can go together to worship and be in community and grow with others.
The rest of the day I choose to cease from shopping/wanting, laundry, instagram/social media, driving carpools and I don’t feel guilty about a nice afternoon nap. My kids and husband’s cease looks different and that is OK. For example, My husband loves a project on Sunday, but he knows that’s not my thing because I do a lot of organizing/cleaning during the week. My husband and I love to enjoy a nice long walk or bike ride together without phones to catch up with one another. Time to slow down and savor the beauty around us and be grateful. Another tradition we have on Sunday nights might be the best of all! Sunday pizza! We have done this for years and similar to breakfast, we continue to have pizza, but it has changed over time as we have switched ingredients around. The family would all agree it is the best night of the week! It is a fun night because we are working together. We love to enjoy a good French wine ( our favorite), prep the pizza, which consists of Team Rose pizza dough (the best I have found), organic pizza sauce, LaClare goat mozzarella, green peppers, mushrooms, red onion, jalapeno, applegate pepperoni, and pineapple (for my daughter). My husband has perfected cooking the pizza in the Ooni pizza oven and we finish it off with extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! What's different about this meal is unlike our other ones, we are not sitting at the table, but we are on the sofa watching a show or sports game together while eating our pizza! Lastly, after pizza we have dessert! (another treat different from our other days)... because my kids love tradition, we stick with the same thing, Food Babe’s chocolate chip cookie recipe. So delicious and made with simple nourishing ingredients. Afterwards, we get ready for bed refreshed and ready to tackle the week ahead.
I do want to point out, this is our Sunday most weeks, but there are times when things come up, there's travel, sports, birthdays and other things. When receiving your gift to rest, also give yourself grace. It won’t be perfect every week, but establishing rhythms “you” want to put in place for you and your family to experience intentional times of rest is truly a gift worth establishing. Unwrap yours and see what happens!
“He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength.” Psalm 23:2,3
“Keep the Sabbath day holy. Don’t pursue your own interests on that day, but ENJOY the Sabbath and speak of it with DELIGHT as the Lord’s holy day, and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly.” Isaiah 58:13
