When You're Craving Rest but There's None In Sight

I kinda hate to write this today, but it's my reality. My grandmother used to say, "There's no rest for the weary," and I believe her. 

Being a long-term caregiver is hard. It's exhausting. It's a struggle, and I don't know how to find the balance between taking care of someone else and taking care of me. 

I need to find that balance, though, or I'm likely to collapse. 

A few days ago, the study I'm doing now asked, "What are you truly craving?"

I wrote one word. "REST." I meant it, but I didn't know how to get it and I wondered if, in this busy world, anyone else does, either.

"Rest today," my friend messaged me yesterday. As if that was possible. Rest for me involves quiet and solitude. I don't have to be still to rest, but I need to be alone for a while. 

Yesterday, I intended to rest. Really, I did. 

I had planned the day out perfectly. I thought. I had errands to run and a lunch meeting, then home to rest. I prayed it through. All my errands were completed with three minutes to spare before the lunch meeting. 

The two-hour lunch meeting was a sweet time of sharing and learning. I left refreshed. I'm gonna make it, I thought. Rest is just ahead. 

As I drove home, I made my plan. Long walk with the dogs. Read a book on the porch. Listen to the ceiling fan. Watch the geese on the lake. Be still.

When I returned home, I unloaded my shopping and put everything away. Cut stalks of greenery for vases and arranged them. Changed into shorts. Made a glass of tea. I estimated that I had a full 90 minutes before an interruption was likely. 

I was wrong. 

I had just settled in on the screened porch and was almost through the first chapter of my book when someone stopped by. 

After they left, I went back to my book. I was nearly to chapter two when the dogs started barking. There was another car in the driveway. It was Sam.

I met him at the door. "You working?"

"No. I'm reading a book and resting."

"Oh, good. If you was working, I wouldn't bother you, but since you're just reading... I'm bored and need some company." He took his place in a rocker and I took mine. Thirty minutes later, he headed home again.

I went back to my book and rest. This time, I made it through a full chapter before Sam was back. "I thought I'd feed the horses now." We had another visit in the rockers. 

Time with Sam is short. I don't want to waste what we have left, but I'm tired...

This morning, I awakened and, probably for the first time in years, thought, "Oh, God, I'm too tired to get out of this bed. You'll have to help me." 

You need to rest...

The words were loud in my heart. Tears welled up in my eyes and threatened to spill over. The world won't let me rest, I thought.

Maggie was at the bedside, making her, "Hurry up, Mama," sound. My attention turned to the dogs, and I rolled out of bed. 

When the dogs need to go out to potty, they leave no doubt that's what they need. When they need to rest, they lie down and sleep. When they need to play, they do it. 

Maggie loves to be outside. At least twice a day, she has porch time. If I don't open the door for her at the appointed moment, she doesn't stop pestering me until I do. She takes porch time, without fail.

If dogs know how to rest, surely I can figure it out.

This morning, I read about the Feast of Booths in Leviticus 23. After the fall harvest, the Israelites took a full week off to thank God and celebrate. No work was done during that week. None. 

I have a note in the margin of my Bible. "God has attended to every detail, including the rest needed after harvest." I read those words and was struck again by the truth that rest is part of God's plan, and it's not optional.

Rest is not optional. Consider those words for a bit. Resting is an act of obedience. When I think of rest as obedience, it becomes a little more imperative. A little less optional. 

I need to be more intentional, despite all there is to do, despite my to-do list, despite my responsibilities. I can't go the distance if I don't figure out how to be still. 

Do you struggle with a busy schedule, too? Are you having trouble finding time to rest? Today, let's simply obey God's mandate for rest. STOP the busyness and be still. Know He is God. Rest. 

Today, I'm going to do more than "try" to rest. Today, I'm doing it. I don't know how I'm going to balance my need to rest with Sam's need for company, but, somehow, I will. 

"Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work..." Exodus 20:8-10 nasb

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PS - I'd love to hear what you do to rest. Comment below. Thanks!

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#rest #sabbath

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?

Lord of the Sabbath (Luke 6:3-5)

And Jesus answering them said, "Have you not even read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him, how he entered the house of God, and took and ate the consecrated bread which is not lawful for any to eat except the priests alone, and gave it to his companions?" And He was saying to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." (Luke 6:3-5 NASB)

In legal defense, I am told, precedent is critical. If something was deemed lawful in the past, that decision can be used to justify a present act as lawful, too. Jesus uses the principle of precedent masterfully in this passage. When the Pharisees complained that the disciples were breaking the law by picking and eating the grain, Jesus referred them back to the actions of David. 

The story is told in 1 Samuel 21. Jonathan had warned David that King Saul was determined to execute him, and David ran for his life. The men who fought with him were safely hidden, but there was no food. In desperation, David went in search of something for his men to eat. He turned to the priest at Nob, Ahimelech, and asked for prayer and for bread. (In a later passage, we learn that Ahimelech had been "inquiring of the Lord" for David for years, and was David's personal intercessor.) The only bread the priest had was the bread that had been the bread of the Presence before The Lord. This bread was replaced daily, but the bread that had been removed was still considered consecrated. It was supposed to be used for the priests' consumption. This bread, the removed but consecrated bread, was what the priest gave David to feed his men. 

Jesus established two principles that day. First, his reference to David and the bread reminded them that the things of God are not to be hoarded when there are those in need. 

Second, Jesus made it clear that HE was equal with God. He referred to Himself as the Son of Man (a subject for another day) and equated the Son of Man with God as The Lord of the Sabbath. 

Imagine the Pharisees' surprise! They thought they had caught Jesus and His disciples breaking the law and Jesus told them, "No, I made the law and I'm the boss of the Sabbath. What they did was fine with Me." Their response was not recorded, but you can be sure they were fuming!

The Pharisees thought they were the protectors of the law. In a way, they considered themselves in charge of compliance. Jesus clarified that without any confusion at all. "Nope," He was saying, "I'm in charge here."  We would do well to remember that Jesus is still in charge, and He still wants thing done a certain way. Oh that our greatest concern would be doing things His way! What a difference that would make in our lives and in our world!

Today, pray that we and our loved ones would be more concerned about pleasing Jesus than about complying with the Pharisees of the world. 

Content in any circumstances (Luke 6:1)

Now it happened that He was passing through some grainfields on a Sabbath; and His disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating the grain. (Luke 6:1 NASB)

An interesting thing happened one Sabbath day. Jesus and His disciples were walking from here to there. Their route took them through a grain field. His disciples were hungry, so they broke some of the grain heads off and began to eat them. We don't know the conversation surrounding this quick repast, but there is no evidence that these men whined or grumbled about eating the grain. They were hungry, so they ate what Jesus had provided along the way. These were the very men who had enjoyed a sumptuous feast with Matthew and his friends just a few verses earlier. In fact, Matthew was probably in the midst of the group. They did not, apparently, require elaborate and delicious meals as part of their discipleship. Comfort was not one of their requirements for following Jesus. 

I don't know about you, but I like comfort and I especially like delicious, perfectly seasoned and well-cooked meals. I like air conditioning and central heat, silk comforters, and pillow top mattresses. I like seat warmers in my car, warm coats when it's cold, and leather gloves to keep my hands warm. I suspect you do, too, or at least have your own list of comforts that you prefer. Jesus, however, did not promise us comfort. 

It's easy to be a disciple when we are comfortable. The question we all must answer is whether or not we would follow in a difficult and uncertain situation. Discipleship that is contingent upon favorable circumstances is not discipleship at all. Serving Christ should be done because of Who He is and not what He gives. Just as important, serving Christ should include accepting what He provides without grumbling or complaining.

Are you content with what God has given you, or do you complain and continually ask for more? 

Today, pray for a heart that is content with what God provides, and grateful for whatever circumstances He allows. Pray that our loved ones would not hold back from Christ from fear of having less than they want, but would embrace the life He planned for them. 

The Sabbath Rain

After returning home from church, I enjoyed a quick lunch, then sat down with Maggie the Wonder Dog for a snuggle and to decide what needed to be done first.  I have a to-do list that's a mile long, and I don't want to do any of it. Well, that's not entirely true. I want it all done. I don't really mind doing it. I just don't want to tackle such a big job all at once. Of course everything needs to be done by later this week (company's coming), so I don't really have much choice. Despite how big I am on honoring the Sabbath, I had begun to think I might need to make an exception today. 

Almost all my tasks on the list begin by hauling the Christmas decorations in from the storage house. I started it yesterday, but somehow the green and red boxes seem to have been reproducing in there this year. I didn't even make a dent in the stacks! What I'm going to do with whatever is in all those boxes is not clear, so now I'm hesitant to even tackle the job. 

Here's how I envisioned this work proceeding: I would roll my wagon to the storage house, pile on a few boxes, haul them to the house, dump them in the living room, then head back for more. A ladder was an integral part of the plan.  Hauling boxes down while perched on a ladder brings back bad memories of falling peanut butter jars and broken hands, so I decided to wait for Bill the Magnificent. The most wonderful thing happened. Bill the Magnificent decided to take a Sabbath. He's just feeding livestock today. 

I piddled around a bit, then came back downstairs to start loading boxes. Can you believe it? A steady rain was falling. 

No Bill. Steady rainfall. No boxes getting moved today. No boxes getting unpacked today. No decorations going up. Can you believe it? I have been forced into a Sabbath rest after all! How wonderful is that?  Instead of working on the to-do list, I spent time resting, playing with Maggie the Wonder Dog, and reading. What a wonderful Sabbath rest I've had, courtesy of the Sabbath rain that kept me inside!

The list still needs to be done, and I still have company coming, but tomorrow I will start back rested and refreshed. I think it will make the week much easier. Tonight, I'm saying my thank you's for the pesky Sabbath rain that called a halt to my busyness and gave me the Sabbath rest I desperately needed. I hope you are rested as well. 

Have a Christ-filled week!

Jesus and the Sabbath Routine (Luke 4:16)

And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. (Luke 4:16 NASB)

Jesus went home to Nazareth and, just like He'd always done, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath. He wasn't a "Christmas and Easter only" kind of guy. He had established a routine and He did not vary. On the Sabbath, He was at God's house, the house of prayer.  He would participate in corporate prayer as well as reading and studying the Torah. It appears that Jesus was likely a regular Torah reader at the synagogue. That is amazing, isn't it? Jesus not only went to church, he had regular duties at church. 

It's hard to participate in corporate prayer and Bible study if we aren't there. We would do well to emulate Him by regular attendance and active participation in our local church. Although we won't likely be the "Torah reader", we can certainly teach a class, hand out bulletins, work in a food closet, or serve as a smiling greeter. 

Pray today that we will be active participants in the body of Christ. Pray, too, that our loved ones will feel a restlessness on worship days that propels them back to the body of Christ. 

Sabbath Promises

After Sister Saturday weekend wound down, I headed back to Blue Springs. We had laughed a lot, eaten too much, treasured the blessings of family, and rejoiced in the maturity of adult children.  It had been a good visit, but how sweet it was to return home this afternoon. Maggie the Wonder Dog ran around in circles, wiggling all over with delight, bouncing up to nuzzle me, running around again, grinning like a jack-o-lantern.  Enthusiastic welcomes are always sweet.

The car had to be unloaded and all the things I'd taken had to be put away, but that was quickly accomplished.  There was another load of laundry that needed washing, mail to sort, a junk drawer to clean out, and hours' worth of house cleaning to do.  There's a book I need to finish formatting, a draft to print, and a book cover to plan.  I opted to do none of that.  Instead, I played with my dog, read a Christian biography, and had a sweet visit with the Lord.  It was a really nice day. 

A few minutes ago, I thought, "I have not done a productive thing since I got home today." Quick as a flash, that still small voice in my heart whispered, "Oh, yes you did.  You had a Sabbath." It made me think about Isaiah 58.  It says (the Leanna paraphrase) that, if we choose not to do the things we want to do, and choose to honor the Sabbath, God will give us delight in Him and "make us ride on the heights of the earth."  I can't even imagine what riding on the heights of the earth entails, but I'm thinking I would like it.  For sure, it would be a blessing. "And I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob."  That sounds pretty good, too, doesn't it.

Just to be sure, I checked.  This is the blessing Issac gave Jacob on his deathbed.  (It looks like the heritage of Jacob to me) You are going to wish you had taken a Sabbath when you read this!

"Now may God give you of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, and an abundance of grain and new wine;
May peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you,
Be master of your brothers, and may your mother's sons bow down to you.
Cursed be those who curse you, and blessed be those who bless you."           Isaiah 27:28-29 NASB

Is that not an amazing blessing for Jacob?  What is really amazing is that, when we are obedient about the Sabbath, God is so honored that He promises to bless us in really sweet ways.  I guess that says a lot about how many of us actually honor the Sabbath, doesn't it? I don't know about the grain and the wine and the fatness, but I'm pretty sure there is a promise in there to provide our daily needs. After this sweet day, that seems just exactly right.

Next Sabbath, why don't you join me in the gift of rest and enjoying our Lord? It's really the nicest day!