The Importance of Sabbath

One of my dearest friends, a brilliant visionary, writer and lovely homeschooling mom, has coined the phrase "chasing sabbath" to describe those periods of rest that God intended for us, but that we have to intentionally make room for in our lives.  He took His after creating the world in six days.  Our culture has swung from one extreme to the other in terms of what the sabbath should look like.  
My little ones and I are enjoying the Little House in the Big Woods audiobook almost every other day while driving in the car.  My 3-year-old says, "Mommy, can we wisten to the part where Pa shoots the bear?"  Pa recollects his own Pa's experience of observing the sabbath, from sundown on Saturday night until sundown on Sunday night.  Sabbath in those days meant no talking, no laughing, no moving your body in church, no working, no playing, only reading the Bible and catechism.  Is this what God intended for a sabbath day of rest - all the things you can't do that are enjoyable and rejuvenating?  In today's society, we have swung the pendulum to the opposite side, where people are moving so quickly all the time, that there is no time to nurse the emptiness and irritability that results from no down time, no rest time.  Sabbath...what??

As a homeschooling mother of four with multiple responsibilities and commitments, I am often out of breath, out of time, out of energy and out of desire to do anything relaxing for myself.  I have often become bitter and angry when I've gotten free time because I don't know what to do with myself unless someone is tugging at my leg or vying for my attention.  My husband said, "Plan what you would like to do when you have free time so that when you have the opportunity, you have some things to choose from!"

These are my sabbaths, but didn't realize it until my dear friend put meaning to little opportunities that are there practically every day if I recognize them as such.

A run to the library by myself, even for an hour

Sharing a cup of tea with a friend, catching up

Taking a walk by myself

Reading a chapter of a fabulous novel before bed

Snoozing for a few minutes while the kids have rest time

Shopping with girlfriends

A good laugh with my husband or a close friend

Our "sabbaths" either come in tiny or large amounts of time.  I can choose to enjoy the little ones or only starve my soul until I have the large ones.  Both serve significant purpose in our daily lives.  When I have a small sabbath for a few minutes during my hectic day, I am not only nourishing my soul but I am also nourishing my children's souls.  When I am rested, they are more relaxed.  When I have found a few minutes of rejuvenation, I am able to give a little more.  When I push myself so hard that I have no desire to serve or help them because of my irritability level, then I have robbed all of us the joy of being together.  I have shown that working myself to death is more important than taking care of my soul so that I can better take care of them.

In taking "sabbaths" we are also modeling that intentionally seeking spiritual, emotional, and physical nourishment is necessary in order to carry out the tasks we have been given as parents, spouses, employees, employers, and friends.

What keeps us from giving ourselves permission to s-l-o-w d-o-w-n?