Saturday's have become our families Sabbath. A day where we say more "yes" and leave the mess for another day. It's a day for family adventures and not cooking (Beyond an amazingly large breakfast complete with pancakes with sprinkles, eggs, and bacon). It's a day where my husband and I can ask the other what we want/need from the day, and then gift it (i.e. time at the gym, time alone to make a call to a friend, etc.) It is a day for enjoying the moments as they come and breathing in time instead of losing it.
When the stars align and our boys naps overlap, I leave the chores for a cup of tea and something yummy. Today, I have tea gifted from my momma that just makes me feel close to her despite the billion miles a part. And, a lemon wafer cookie (actually 4 of them) that is taking me back to my childhood. My grandma Lil and pappy Nick had a cookie "duck", their version of a cookie jar. It lost its lips to a ball thrown here and there, but it always stayed full with slightly stale, yet exciting chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry wafer cookies. We'd get to have a cookie after dinner or if we fell and got hurt outside. It always seemed to be a light of joy regardless of any pain being endured.
During the week, I am a "get it done" kind of person. I want my boys and my husband to want to come home. I want our home to be a haven. To be a place that evokes love, curiosity, safety, and joy. I want my toddler to know where his toys are and for his puzzles to have all of their pieces ready for play. I want them to get to wear their favorite clothes as often as possible. And I want them to assume a home cooked dinner will be ready at 5. I love this beautiful call of being a mommy and a wife.
Without rest though, these things lose their shimmer. Without a day of Sabbath, I lose my shimmer. I flood through life like wrecking ball of emotion and my expectations of myself and my family begin to be idolized. Do I sound dramatic? Trust me, I know, and I am!! I need rest for my soul!! My family would never benefit from my toiling without it.
I believe it is so wonderfully important to invite our children into seeing the works of our hands as parents. I believe they grow in confidence as well as maturity when they learn to do age-appropriate chores. At 3, Judah folds the washcloths, puts his dirty clothes in the hamper, feeds our dog, and picks up his toys. This is so great, he loves it, and is proud of himself when he does them well. But, even more than this- I believe it is of glorious holy importance to invite ourselves into seeing the adventure of their tiny hands. I believe we grow in confidence as well as maturity in Christ when we learn to rest; to slow to seek adventure.
In this, our children grow to know us as parent's who can "be" instead of just "do." Being available. Being present. Being playful. Being in the adventure. Being joy. Being light. We see God more beautifully and fully in our obedience to rest, to Sabbath.
We breath in time instead of loose it when we take the time to rest.
How are you inviting yourself to rest lately?
Do you have a regular rhythm of rest? If not, ask yourself if you are looking at rest as more of a reward than the command that it is. Did you know God calls us into rest?
Love always,
Jessica
