Here’s how my Sundays typically look - Wake up. Rush around getting ready for church. Eat a quick breakfast.
Go to church. Rush home to get the kids fed and down for a nap. Eat my own lunch. Type my blog’s weekend recap post. Rush to the grocery store. Rush home to feed B again. Hang out with the family. Cook dinner. Get kids to bed. Crash on the couch with Peter and wonder where the day/weekend went.
EV.ERY.SUN.DAY! Notice the word “rush” popping up a lot in there?
During the week I really have no choice in the matter. Things must get done and to do that I pretty much need to hit the ground running from the time I wake up until whatever time I can crawl back into bed. However, not every day needs to be go go go go go go. Yesterday’s message at church hit me right between the eyes with that fact. And the fact I need to apply it to my life.
Consider the following scenarios:
- Imagine your boss coming to you at work while you are so overwhelmed and exhausted. He tells you to pack it up and take the day off. Go home; rest; play; enjoy a free day. Would you turn that down?
- Imagine a young child offered a day to hang out with his or her mom or dad. Just enjoying each other’s company. No pressure. No distractions. Just love. That child would feel pretty excited, no?
Well, that’s exactly the scenario offered to us once a week for our health and sanity. Yet I have profusely ignored it too often. I can’t tell you how many times I have told myself I want to keep one day a week free from obligation, only to find myself in the same patterns.
I woke up feeling empty Sunday morning. I felt down about a lot of things for no reason in particular. I believe it came from lack of rest and recuperation in my busy, hectic life. I need to commit myself to keeping Sunday open for personal time and healing. I will do my absolute best to get grocery shopping done on Saturdays. I will wait to do my regular Sunday evening weekend wrap-up post until Monday morning. I will keep my schedule as clear as possible to truly focus on church, time spent with loved ones, and maybe some naps.
There will certainly come some weekends where schedules won’t allow that, but I need to remember the importance and value of making a concentrated effort to keep one day a week as open and carefree as possible. Just as rest is important for physical training, it also matters greatly to emotional, mental, and spiritual wellbeing. Why do I have such a hard time remembering that? Hopefully this time it will click for good.
Question of the Evening – Do you schedule a day each week to not have any pressing obligations? Is it hard for you to relax more?
