PostADay: Topic #26
S
everal years ago I read the book, Rest, Living in Sabbath Simplicity. One of the author’s questions pricked my heart and slowly I’m working on making our Sundays different and inviting it to be the gift God wants us to have.
” . . . what if you took God up on His offer
to enjoy a day with Him?”
What is my idea of a perfect Sabbath Sunday? It’s not the legalistic view I grew up with. It’s a gift I am opening over time . . . a work in progress, but working towards . . .
A stress-free, time with family,
worshiping at church,
lighting a candle on on the dining room table
only meant for the Sabbath Day,
spreading the tablecloth for this just day too . . .
to lay the meal on it, planned the day before,
the slow cooker takes over
or pre-made things heated up quickly
Paper plates and cups are used,
without apology
Memories made lingering around the table
with family and friends in fellowship ~
sharing, laughing, loving, praying, being concerned,
building up each other.
A quiet afternoon ~
staying home
no running errands or answering business calls.
Newspapers sprawled out
books being read
without guilt of things that need to be done.
No Wii games
no TV or loud music,
children reading, drawing,
or playing games quietly
(certainly not fighting),
coffee with whip cream piled high
with home-baked Biscotti’s
loving made by daughter
the night before
an uninterrupted nap
Sometimes returning to the evening service
sometimes close fellowship with family & friends
piano and guitars
blending with voices of our young adults
watching Extreme Home Makeover
kids peering at mom knowing she cries every time
It’s a day of rest
enjoying the gift God gave us
No excuses of being too busy
giving Him more of me
throughout the day
Ending the day without being tired,
being renewed by Him
to start another week.
Writing Idea from PostADay: Topic #26
& joining Emily at Imperfect Prose,
sharing our imperfect lives, that will someday be made perfect .
Writing Canvas 
Loni – I love your idea of a perfect Sabbath. Peace and quiet, with some fun and fellowship thrown in for good measure. Count me in while we count our blessings. God bless you – Marsha
This is the goal we strive toward in our home too. Such a blessing reading this today. (clicked over from Emily’s)
Loni…i love this. I grew up with a ‘stricter’ view of Sabbath too and then it got confusing…but the heart of it has always stayed with me and my husband and I want it more and more for our family…I LOVE YOURS! YES.
And thank you for coming over to ‘Fan the Flame’ and ‘the years that the locusts have eaten’ and i know your story and your dear son Matthew…it IS His promise for you…and i claim it with you for the past seasons of my life and whenever that thief is seeking to steal and destroy still and what may come…yes, ann’s book…so, so gripping…and Him in all above all and THROUGH ALL…
it blesses my heart so that i could touch your heart that has walked THIS journey…
Getting Sabbath right is so hard to do. We’ve talked about ways to pull it off and always run into obstacles. I think the answer for us has been to create times of sabbath throughout the week and see them for what they are.
o to end the day without being tired. God is so good to us, knowing that we are dust and need rest…if only we would listen to Him. thank you for the reminder to take God up on His offer.
This is a wonderful reminder of what a day of rest should be. My Sundays are usually pleasant, but sometimes I spend too much time cooking and cleaning up the kitchen. You’re inspiring me to simplify.
wow — i’ll never live such an ideally restful sunday — but that’s okay, the Sabbath was saturday, and Jesus is all about freedom! i’ll have to try your idea sometime — it sounds delicious!!
Ohhh . . . this is my hopefulness for an ideal Sunday Sabbath ~ sometimes it’s just portions of it . . . but it’s what we are slowly striving for as God leads . . . and changes the ideal. And yes, in Biblical times, the Sabbath was on Saturdays, but because our freedom in Him we can have our Sabbath on Sunday. We know several pastors who have their Sabbath day on Mondays.
I like your grace filled approach. You have given me something to think about. I’ve grown up in a ministry family and Sundays were essentially work days. I like the way that you’ve planned ahead to limit the work, especially the paper plates and cups.
The art of doing nothing — sounds like a dream and yet just may be what the soul needs. A lovely post.
oh nice question…and i like the day you described…i need to think on this one today…what would my day look like?
I really needed to read this today. I am terrible about keeping the sabbath holy, not seeing it as another work day. I like your image of the perfect Sabbath. 🙂 I might have to adopt it as my own!
Wow, homemade biscotti! Actually, the whole thing sounds wonderful and exactly the way it should be. While my colleagues in the guest house all work hard on Fridays (the Sabbath where I live), I always take the day off. But whether or not I spend it well is a different question…
coffee with whip cream piled high
with home-baked Biscotti’s
loving made by daughter
the night before
this sounds absolutely divine, loni. and oh, i yearn to bring this kind of sabbath into my heart, into my home. thank you for this beautiful, encouraging post, and for all of the love you’ve shown me on my blog. bless you. e.