Take a load off...

You are to labor six days but you must rest on the seventh day; 

you must even rest during plowing and harvest times.    Exodus 34:21

Isn't it fantastic that God tells us (commands us!) to take a break? I saw a tweet today that says, "Exhaustion is not a badge of honor." The God who created us made us with the need to slow down, to rest. 

I love how the verse says, "You must even rest during plowing and harvest times." During our busiest seasons (the Grand Opening of a church or business, welcoming home a new baby, Christmas holidays, etc...), even then we need to make windows to rest. 

Ways we try to rest:

1. Weekly Family Day: Andy takes every Friday off from work. That is our day to shut down the computers, take naps if we can, and do something fun as a family. A Sabbath with young kids may not always be the most relaxing and there are obvious chores that still have to be done just to keep people fed and children taken care of, but we view Fridays as our days not to do any extra work.
2. Weekly Date Night: Thursday is our night. Highlight of my every week. Find a family to do a babysitting swap with and make Date Nights a habit. If you're gonna be legalistic about something, be legalistic about Date Nights with your spouse!
3. Marriage Getaways: Andy & I are trying to institute a spring and fall getaway for a couple of nights just to enjoy being together and focusing on our marriage. It seems like a luxury, but we see it as an investment. A priority. We want to still be madly in love and enjoy spending time together 50 years from now, so we better make some memories and keep remembering why we just can't get enough of each other. Our marriage would probably be fine without it, but it will sure be better for it. 
4. Family Vacations: We're still trying to figure this one out because we often spend our vacation time visiting our dearly loved and much-missed family on the East Coast. But we also value making some special memories with just our immediate family. When our kids think back on their lives, vacations and special events are the types of things they will remember. Vacations are such a great way to unplug, unwind, and bond together as a family. 

There are lots of other ideas to rest as well... a day alone with God by the beach, a long walk to clear your mind, driving a scenic route to see the leaves changing... There's no one "right" way to rest. The key is just to make yourself do it. Regularly. Even when life is busy.

What refreshes you?