The Discipline of Sabbath

Where have I been? It's been a while since my last post...or since the last time I watched TV, or replied to a friend's email, or read someone else's blog... So what has been keeping me so busy? South Bay Church's first Preview Service is in NINE (9) days!!! The count down is on and we are all working around the clock to pull everything together. It's a very busy, but very exciting time!

Even with all the insanity that is surrounding our lives right now, Andy and I are still trying to practice the discipline of "Sabbath". We work (hard) for six days, but on the seventh day (for us it's Friday) we try not to do anything related to work. I even had to work kinda late last night and I've got my whole day planned out tomorrow in order to be able to take the day off today. But it's worth the extra thought and planning in order to have 24 hours of rest.

Today we drove up to San Francisco, walked around on Pier 39, watched the sea lions, ate some lunch, and got some ice cream. It was a lot of fun, and so healthy just to let our system have time to shut down and reboot. It reminds us to laugh, to have fun, and to cherish the moment. It helps us not just see each other as ministry partners, but as a family with love and commitment far deeper than a call to start a church.

It's not easy to practice "Sabbath" and it's been something that we've had to grow into. We try very hard not to make "exceptions" for why we would need to work half a day, or reply to that email, or return that phone call. We're not legalistic about it. Sometimes there are legitimate reasons that an exception needs to be made. But we try hard to limit it.

I can't even tell you how difficult it has been for me today not to get some work done. I've got a lot of deadlines and very little time to get it done. But, for me, practicing Sabbath is an act of trust. It reminds me that God is the one driving this church forward and the world will not stop turning if I take a day off. It reminds me that He is God and I am not. The work will still be there waiting for me tomorrow. But today, I choose to rest. I choose to trust.