Today’s a day of rest for me.  Yesterday was moving day and I am definitely feeling it.  There was a point this morning where I wondered if the creaking and groaning I was hearing was the stairs, only to realize that it was my bones that was making those sounds.  I need some rest.

Life has been at a go-go-go pace for me over the past six weeks or so as I’ve been trying to juggle full-time ministry, grad school, and life in general.  Today is the day where I am resting and being intentional about it.

I’m catching up on things that have been needing some face time with me.  I’m going to be working on some spiritual things, faith refining and some spiritual house cleaning.  Today’s also a day for practical things like posting stuff on Craigslist (yes, probably should have done that before I moved.) and finishing a book that I’ve been wanting/needing to finish.

But today is also a chance to dream and refine my vision.  With leading a variety of teams I need to revisit what God wants from my teams and me.  Sometimes it’s hard to have a clear outlook when you’re in the whirlwind of the schedule and you allow that same whirlwind to drown out God’s still, small voice.

I think we confuse the idea of rest with doing nothing.  Don’t get me wrong, there are times where we all need a day of “nothing”.  No plans, no agendas, just mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual respite.  But it’s so easy to just slip into the mode of “day off” meaning that you check out for the day, mentally and physically.

God has given you the opportunity on your “day off” to redirect your energies from the tyranny of the urgent towards what you enjoy doing and what will enhance your well-being.  Take the opportunity to better your outlook on life, faith, and God’s will for you.  Sleep in a bit (not all day) and go to bed early that night.  Sometimes sleep can be the one of the most powerful spiritual practices ever.  Even Jesus slept in the midst of a violent storm.

If you’re an introvert, make plans to spend time with a close friend or two.  If you’re an extrovert, make plans to spend an hour or two alone in silence with maybe a journal and your Bible.  Find the things that refresh you and put a handful of them into your plans for the day.  And if you don’t get to all of them, who cares?

Today’s that type of day for me.  I am soaking it in and loving it.