Today was a Sabbath day for me.
Well, if I were a devout Jew, I would have broken the rules for what is acceptable amounts of work but a household does have to run.  Laundry, packing for our trip to Calgary tomorrow, preparing supper~some basic daily tasks.
As I am reading the book by Mark Buchanan, "The Rest of God", I am trying to picture and apply what Sabbath means for me.  A day of rest sounds lovely and idealistic.  Sundays are not good days for taking a true break as we do a lot of our ministry on Sunday.  So what does Sabbath look like for a missionary wife?  Is there even such a thing?
I am only starting chapter 5 in this insightful book, but so far, I am gleaning some helpful tips.  Rest, of course is a state of mind, not just an absence of work.  It is about sleep and physical restoration.  It is about an attitude of peace and contentment.  Thankfulness is involved in acknowledging God as God, and not thinking I have to be in charge.  So many nuggets to discover and explore.
So today was about reading on the couch between loads of laundry.  I stared out the picture window at the soft and light snowflakes in between paragraphs of the book.  I let my thoughts drift and swirl.  Then I'd take a sip of Mocha Swirl coffee with French Vanilla creamer-a decadent treat on this special afternoon.  Back to the page I was reading...
I made a couple of phone calls, just for the pleasure of it. I stared out the back window at the squirrel, chubby and still storing more food for the winter.  Our resident bunny poked his nose in the backyard for a few minutes, while the squirrel ran up the tamarack tree.
This book talked about the Sabbath-attitude of attentiveness.  Paying attention to the little things, living in the moment.  I tried to do that today and found it very sweet.  Maybe I can become a Sabbath-keeper.
The most important element I am seeing is that the Sabbath is made for us, for our good, and we were made for God.  We cannot truly rest without being attentive to God Himself.  Paying attention to His voice, to His quiet presence, to His Person and setting aside all the other voices, noises and demands of others.  Not to ignore others but to enjoy them under the banner of His love.
Even as I typed this blog, my "rest" was interrupted by my son coming home after work, the microwave and then the oven not functioning and supper becoming a rush!  I continue writing now and feel that unrushed peace, like the stillness of the afternoon has carried over in spite of the frustrations of the supper hour.  Oh, if I could learn to practice His presence every day!