Taking Time to Rest

On Sunday I somehow put my back out. It was BAD! Sunday night I could not roll over without help from Isaiah. So Isaiah told me I was to rest my back and not get work done around the house. I'm on spring break so I didn't have homework (or want to do homework on my spring break) so I stayed in bed and rested. It was weird. I don't rest well. At all.

Something I realized while I was resting was that women do not rest well. I have never met a woman who just rests well. I think about the women I know and its rare to see them just sit and relax. They are always going, going, going. My mother is a prime example. She never just sits down with the family and does something. She is always cooking or cleaning or something.

But we women need to rest. Its not a want. Its a need. Even Jesus took time to rest. He would go off on His own and rest and pray. He is able to take time to rest but yet we as wives can't?

Isaiah has been helping me realize that taking time to rest and do something I enjoy (like blogging) is not selfish. Its not wrong. Its what I need to do. It makes me relax and be happier, and that makes my family (cats included) less stressed. Humans need time to do things they enjoy, that is not work for them. Its how we are made.

God set up a Sabbath day of rest for us. He knew that we needed a day free from work to relax and worship Him. For us, our Sundays are so busy that it is almost stressful. So we try to make sure to take some time during the week to rest and spend time together. When we do, our stress level is down and our marriage is just better.

Think about Mary and Martha. Martha was so busy fixing her home and preparing the food that she missed out on resting and spending time with Jesus. She was rebuked. Her sister Mary rested at Jesus' feet and spent time listening to Him and she was praised. I don't want to be a Martha. I don't want to get so caught up in taking care of the home that my relationship with God is hurt.

I also don't want to spend so much time being a homemaker that I can't be a good wife. I have spent evenings when I could be with my husband cleaning and doing laundry.

I know the feeling as a homemaker. There is always more to be done. No matter how much time you spend doing laundry there will always be more. And its not like a regular job where you can leave it at work. Its always right in front of you. Staring you in the face. Taunting you. But sometimes you have to just say no.

So take time to rest. Take time to spend with your Savior and your family. And take time to do something you enjoy. Its really ok to do. I promise.