Rest

Today was my Sabbath. It's a day that I have worked to get better at honoring by not going to the office or spending too much time writing & prepping for anything ministry related. I don't know that I spent it exactly how I should have today, but after sleeping in some and reading for a couple of hours, I was fairly busy. I mowed our yard (and our next-door-neighbor/landlord's), got a haircut, and went to the store. It was a 5 1/2 hour process for all of those things and now the evening with my family awaits. My wife & I have differing opinions on what to do on the Sabbath, but this seems to work for me.

One of the things I enjoy doing the most on this day is mowing the yard. I believe firmly in Mark Batterson's statement, "Change of pace + change of place = change of perspective." Spending two hours mowing the lawn is where I find that change and become intrigued by the potential of what could be. In those moments riding in the hot sun, I see tantalizing glimpses of what my future could look like. As I listen to other pastors on my iPod riding around, I am excited by the vision of what God is doing & what He might have for me to do as well. It's a way for me to engage with Him and be relieved of the some of the day-to-day routine.

Perhaps this is one of the greatest benefits of Sabbath for me. It is a way to reconnect with God and find rest and stimulation all at the same time.