Taking a Sabbath day- well, it is one of the Ten Commandments

What comes to mind when you think of Sabbath?  Is it the picture above, a quaint town, a little family walking to church on a Sunday?


or do you think of something more ethereal?  A quiet pond, a serene, beautiful garden, a mountain breeze, the only sound being the wind in the trees?

I confess that I struggle with taking a Sabbath day.  No problem going to church.  I highly value the local church and the community that emerges from a local church body.  (I could write about what I think of the idea that attending a local church is unnecessary but I get a little fired up about that discussion.)

I decided to "take a Sabbath" one Saturday not long ago. Okay, what did that mean?  I needed to know what a Sabbath day was in order to TAKE IT.

A book that greatly helped my understanding of Sabbath and rest is Marva Dawn's Keeping the Sabbath Wholly.
http://www.amazon.com/Keeping-Sabbath-Wholly-Embracing-Feasting/dp/0802804578/ref=la_B000AP7OJK_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370810776&sr=1-1

There are many good books on Sabbath, rest and other such disciplines or practices.  My two big "takeaways" from Dawn's book were:
1. Taking a Sabbath is like saying to God, "I am not indispensable. I can take a day off work, not send email, and do nothing one day and the universe will continue on it's course." When we say we cannot rest or take any time off, we are being rather arrogant that somehow whatever we do is more important than what others do. We are also not trusting God to manage without us.
2. This relates to the pictures below.  Although she wrote that she was an introvert, a very studious person and spent a lot of time alone, after her Sabbath, she often had people over for a celebration dinner on Sunday nights.  I liked that idea.  I felt like that was something I could appreciate. She did not slave over a big meal but it was just a time to enjoy friends and celebrate the Lord together.  I don't know who those women are in the picture but I thought that picture represented my thoughts.




Just to report on how I did on my Sabbath day.  I really did shut down work that day....until after dinner. Confession!  I had a lovely morning, drinking coffee, watching the squirrels in the yard, talking to my husband.  I took a long walk along the trail.  I had a Google Hangout with my son and his family as well as a great call with another son.  Even texted my daughter!  Then I read in the hammock, not a book I'd have to really think about or take notes in but an Alexander McCall Smith book.  If you've not read The Ladies Number 1 Detective Agency, you're missing some genuine fun entertainment!

Then after a simple dinner, I rushed to the computer to make notes of thoughts from the day and actually sent emails.  I redeemed myself by watching a Fred Astaire and Rita Heyworth movie with Tom later that night.

My grade for this Sabbath:  B.