Sabbath Rest

Mamie the Apprentice Wonder Puppy and Ole Lou have had a lazy day.  They have spent the afternoon stretched out on the patio, enjoying the breeze, while Maggie the Wonder Dog has been in my lap. There were so many things that needed doing that it was impossible to make a dent, so all we did after church was to water the plants in the greenhouse and watch the water on the lake.  

And ponder. I just love pondering, so I've pondered about the final formatting for the new book, pondered the direction of my first novel (the opening sentence has surprised me), and pondered the possibility of resuming making pottery and designing jewelry. I've pondered what kind of clothes I need for my CRI course and what the temperature will be in Nashville in November. That, not surprisingly, caused me to ponder whether or not they can accommodate my need for a gluten-free diet and how much peanut butter I will need to carry if not. I've pondered what to do to my landscaping around the patio and whether or not I can divide a rosemary bush. 

As always, my mind has gone ninety miles an hour, but, for a change, I haven't made an effort to answer any of the questions I have raised. It has been a peaceful, quiet afternoon of rest, and I am surprisingly refreshed. Best of all, on the way to the barn to feed the livestock, I stopped by the fig tree and was delighted to find two ripe figs waiting for me! (In case you missed it, I have blogged before about my daily fig.) 

I've had a Sabbath rest today, and it has reminded me once again that God established a day of rest for a reason. We need it. I need it. "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy," it says in Exodus 20:8. Imagine that! Sitting on my patio, doing nothing more difficult than holding my Wonder Dog while all the other animals lazed, watching the water shimmer in the sunlight, I've kept this day holy, and it has honored God. 

Being still. Keeping the day holy. Honoring God. It doesn't sound much like our typical busy lifestyle, does it?  Maybe it's time for change. I'm all in. What about you?