Rest

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30)

"This invitation seems an entirely appropriate way to end the day. As we let go of the busy-ness, the fragmented-ness, the weariness, we pause to ask ourselves how far we have lived out of that gentle humility that Christ displayed and that we too will know as we are “yoked” to him.

"Echoing the words of Jesus, Benedict said that he wanted to offer “nothing harsh, nothing burdensome” to his monks. Jesus struggled to take time out from his ministry to replenish his tired spirit, to continue the dialogue with his Father. Our choosing to follow Jesus means we accept the discipline of doing the same. The discipline feels like a burden that requires some effort, but it also enables us to receive the gift and so becomes lighter as we shoulder it. God graces us with rest; and, as we respond with our gratitude and receive the gift, we begin to enter that balanced life that is our destiny as the people of a loving creator."
--"Heart Whispers" by Elizabeth J. Canham

“Thank you, God,
For those moments in my life
When You opened a window
And offered a word
That nourished the hunger in my soul.
Give me the grace to realize
That these are the words I live by,
Not by bread alone,
Whatever form that bread may take
However satisfying it may seem at the time.
Give me the grace to live not just reflectively but receptively,
That I may not only notice when a window is opened
But also receive what is offered,
Understanding that what is offered
Is my soul’s daily bread…”
--A Prayer for Grace,
from the book Windows of the Soul, by Ken Gire

Ahhhh... rest. That's what I need. Doctor's orders. This weekend, the hubby is gone on a fishing trip. I'm mostly caught up on work. I have one lunch date planned, and have stocked up on goodies in the kitchen. I'm ready to hibernate. To sleep. Read. Craft. Listen to music - or enjoy the silence. Go for walks. I even have a little adventure planned for myself. Hopefully, by Tuesday, I will feel like myself again!

Things I am thankful for today:

1. Not having mono or strep. Woo-hoo!
2. I'm so brave when I get my blood drawn these days... Ha ha ha.
3. Ben got his driver's license!
4. Jason brought me oatmeal raisin cookies - that HE baked! (He's one of my senior high kids!)
5. A quick nap - it got me through the day.
6. Talking to the hubby on the phone.
7. Enjoying a little solitude.
8. Bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon.
9. The friendly people at Trader Joe's.
10. Cuddles from the dog. So cute.