Remember “blue laws”? When I was a kid Sunday’s consisted of going to church and maybe picking up something from the grocery store. Nothing else was open. Blue laws were designed to restrict the sale of items on certain days (mostly Sunday’s) for religious observances.
Today, Sunday is like any other day. Shopping, entertainment and restaurants are open (with a few exceptions) and easy to put on the schedule for a day. And as a kid on those Sunday’s after church, I remember the house was pretty quiet with the newspaper being read, music on the radio and a great breakfast. My dad would usually spend the day enjoying his freshly manicured lawn while moving the sprinkler from one spot to the next.
It was truly a day of rest. Sabbath.
Sabbath is the seventh day of the Hebrew calendar week. In the book of Exodus it is commanded by God to be kept as a holy day of rest as God rested from creation.
As a pastor’s wife, Sunday can be a pretty busy day. Two services and Sunday school take the first half of the day with an occasional visit to the hospital to a member of our church family. And my husband teaches a class on Sunday evening so he is still “working”.
I wish I could set aside a day to truly be a Sabbath day, but with my work and family responsibilities it is difficult to set aside a day. I have figured out how to have Sabbath time for myself and this weekend was a perfect example.
Friday night my husband and I actually went to dinner and a movie together. We had a great time! It was long overdue. Saturday I worked in the yard. It was not exactly a restful time, but it was time that I spent alone, working on a project that yielded great results and it felt good. Sunday was a morning of worship and lunch followed by a trail ride with my friend. The day was glorious and being in nature, cantering in the arroyos, having great conversation filled with laughter and just spending time where I felt a peace and presence with the One who created me was almost more than I could accept.
Observing Sabbath is critical for each of us. A day of rest sounds glorious, but when you have children, work, and responsibilities sometimes we run and run until we completely burn out.
Maybe I can’t find a Sabbath day, but I can find those Sabbath moments. If it’s one a week, then fantastic! If I can string a few together, even better.
I encourage you to find those Sabbath moments in your week. Treasure them. Protect them. Use them to refuel your strength and passion for what lies ahead.
Today I Am Thankful For:
- A perfect New Mexico Spring afternoon
- notecards
- wax paper
- Great sermons
- horse noses
