Rest
Posted at 8:32 am on November 5, 2009 by Catherine
Rest.
Do mommies get to rest? Whenever there is clutter – in my house, in my heart, in my life, in the sounds around me – I have trouble resting. And in these days of small things there is so much clutter of all kinds. Baby and child things everywhere, baby and child noises everywhere, so much that I have to do, remember, get back to. Even my “rest” time is cluttered with projects and hobbies and tasks.
Rest.
So when I sat down to read a book titled Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity I gave a chuckle of irony. But I was excited to read it because the author (Keri Wyatt Kent) is a local mom herself – maybe not a DuPage Mama, but she does live in the Chicago Suburbs.
This book immediately drew me in, inspired me, and convicted me. The author’s point is so startling to me, all the more so because it is as obvious as the nose on my face. Those of us who are Christians, are we really aware that keeping the Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments? We would never consider murder or idolatry or any of the other “Big 10″ to be negotiable, and yet I have hardly ever met anyone who took seriously the idea of keeping Sabbath as a holy day of rest. If anything, we pride ourselves in being much too busy and active and important to really consider such a thing. And yet, there it is – not just in the Old Testament law, but solidly in the middle of the Ten Commandments:
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. – Exodus 20: 8-11
After gently showing us the nose on our faces, Keri goes on to offer suggestions of how one might begin to incorporate Sabbath into real, hectic, American life. I love her ideas, am inspired by her story, and encouraged by her tone – not condemning or legalistic, but calling me to Life lived fully.
What could this possibly look like to a mommy with a young family? To be honest, I have no idea. My work isn’t the kind that stops; a moment to myself is not something I can count on getting. But Hebrew women had babies and preschoolers – the Lord of the Sabbath is not unfamiliar with the rhythms of parenting.
I have a few more thoughts about this book and my own life at my personal blog, here. I’d love to hear what you have to say.
Have you read a book that made an impact on who you are? Write up a review and send it to us for guest posting!
Catherine,
thanks for the great review. I’m glad you enjoyed the book. And tho I’m not exactly a Dupage Mama, I lived for many years in Dupage as a wheaton student and for several years post-college.
I started the Sabbath thing when my kids were little, and it’s evolved over the years. We never get it perfect, but that’s not the point. I’d love to hear your reader’s specific questions.
thanks again for the shout-out!