Break in my routine.........

So this weekend is another break in my "routine"!  It is another scrapbooking weekend.  I was thinking this morning about how long I have been doing these get away times.  I finally had to check with Gwen and through a long discussion, decided that the first time I did one of these weekends was in May of 2009.  Ellie was just a wee baby and now she is 5.  That is a long time.  

Even though I have a scrapbook room at home, there is something about being together with friends and family and laughing and talking.  I know that I don't need this time away from my "life" nearly as much as these other gals.  They are all in the midst of childrearing and/or careers working long hours.  I am the "grandma" of the bunch and am so blessed to only be working around 35 hours a week.  None the less, I cherish these times.  Now, don't get me wrong, it is not easy to pack everything up, cart it to the car (and hope you can make it all fit), and then UNLOAD it and set it up.  Only to have to load it back in the car and then unpack it when you get home.  Today I was the first to arrive and set up.

I am enjoying the quiet room and the time to get these words on the page, since I know that I will not have time or energy to do so tonight.  And I was thinking about how wonderful it is that God planned for us all to have a day of rest.  We have just forgotten what that means.  Our weekends (or other days off if we have to work on the weekend) are so full of stuff to do, that we don't actually get any resting done.  The most important rest that we all need, is time to just be with Jesus.  For so many people in church work, this is the hardest kind of rest time to find.  Let's face it, all of the volunteers at church don't have a very restful day.  By the time that they are finished with their responsibilities, it is hard to squeeze out an hour or two for doing nothing at all.   And most of them have jobs and family things that need doing.  It is a good reminder for all of us to stop and evaluate our schedules.  Then we need to make sure and insert time on our calendars to just BE. 

 

I am so blessed.  I say this over and over.  One of the greatest wonders of doing this blog is how thankful and blessed that I feel as I share these words.  It is my hope and prayer that all who read this blog, will stop and think about their own stories.  Each and every one of us has moments of blessing and gratitude to be reflected on. 

 

The hardest part of blogging for me, is that I don't have the chance to hear your story, or hear of your blessings.  I would love to know what you feel about my words.  So I am asking for your feedback today.  How are you making space to just rest?  What blessings have you seen this week in your life?  Tell me about your joys and sorrows.  I would love to share with you. 

 

Jesus, thank you for this special time away and the blessing to rest.  Thank you for the energy and life that I receive from these wonderful gals this weekend.  Holy Spirit, bless our conversation and increase our creativity and productivity.  And please bring everyone here safely!   Jesus, thank you for all who take the time to read these words and consider the message behind the blog.  Encourage and strengthen them all.  Amen