The thought of taking a day off used to give me anxiety.
From the time I started working, I used to push myself to put in more and more hours, as many as I could squeeze in. It never seemed to be enough and free time was my enemy.
This equated to wrapping gift baskets at a little bakery at midnight over Christmas break during college, and working three jobs (often all on the same day) in my early twenties. When my husband was unemployed briefly when I was pregnant the third time, I barely blinked before picking up 12-hour shifts, six days a week.
While working was a necessity, the need to be busy, for me, was practically a character flaw.
I thrived on the challenge of pushing myself, but I soon became addicted to the bigger paychecks and the pride I took in my drive and productivity.
And in between all the working and parenting and living, over the days and weeks and years — I forgot how to rest.
I forgot how to uni-task, how to live in the moment, how to enjoy those moments before they slipped away.
Right before I found out I was pregnant with my youngest, I remember telling a friend at work, “They can replace me here in a day, but I’m irreplaceable to my family.” Even in the midst of all that busy, I was starting to see that while my work was worthwhile, it wasn’t the end all and be all. And I was missing out on other things in the meantime.
That same year, I read the Bible cover-to-cover for the first time. When I got to the part in Genesis where God rested on the seventh day, I thought, “Well, creating the world is hard work, I guess even God needed a break.”
And in Exodus when Moses brought down the commandment to remember the Sabbath, to keep it holy, I thought, “Yup, I go to church on Sunday. Check.”
But it wasn’t until recently that I started to realize that these passages meant more than that.
The Bible is the first instruction manual ever written and, by far, the best. Yet, I’ve read book after book about how to meditate, how to eat, how to exercise, how to you-name-it; I’ve read a lot about how to take care of myself and live a healthy, happy life, but I never put these Biblical pieces into the puzzle.
Taking a Sabbath. Holding one day a week aside to rest and renew my soul. To focus on my blessings, my family, and my God. To take a break from work, to-do lists, and housework.
But could I do it?
As it turns out, yes, I could. But it wasn’t easy.
First, I needed to set aside the time. For me, Sunday was the best day. It was already different from the other days of the week, so making a little more of a change was no problem. That being said, whatever day works best for you would be fine.
Then, I needed to quit working. I had to bite the bullet and tell all my clients that I would not be working on 
Sunday. I dreaded this because in today’s world (and in my own mind), taking a day off was both lazy and weak. But interestingly, I didn’t have any pushback. If anything, I received encouragement.
Though it was tricky at first, I finally figured out that if I used Saturday as a clean-up day, one devoted to picking up the scraps of the week that didn’t get finished during the weekdays, then keeping Sunday clear wasn’t too hard.
Finally, I had to get my family on board. I couldn’t exactly ask the kids to clean their room when I wasn’t planning on doing the laundry, now could I? I let the kids know that this was our day of rest, and if they needed something done (like, say, clean socks), then the laundry had better be in the basket by Saturday morning.
This was already our screen-less day (more or less), so they were happy to play and read and do the things they would normally do on the weekends. With kids, as long as chores are done and there is no school, it’s always a rest day.
I chose how I would spend my Sabbath. A leopard can’t change her spots entirely. Having a rudderless day is still hard for me, but it helps to have an idea of what I want to do. Here are some of my usual Sunday activities:
- Attending church, reading the Bible, and reading a book that helps center my thinking on God and his blessings in my life.
- Working on a project that I enjoy, like crotcheting my son’s blanket or organizing my books.
- Spending quality time with my family, doing things like play outside, read a book, or play a game.
I try to avoid cooking on this day, so leftovers are my favorite dinner option. And in the evening, when the kids are finally asleep, I try to just relax and enjoy the time before Monday comes and everything starts all over again.
Why taking a Sabbath is so important…
I avoided taking a day off, truly off, for a long time because I only saw what I was missing — money, bragging rights, accomplishments.
But what I gained far outweighed those things. I just didn’t realize it for a while.
Personal peace. Quality time with God and my family. A feeling of refreshment for the next week. A chance to just enjoy the day.
I experienced these things not only on my Sundays, but throughout the week. These Sabbaths became a starting point for my week, giving me the strength to get through the rough patches that cropped up during the busy weekdays.
They also gave me the perspective to order my days in a way that honored my new commitments, to my soul and my loved ones. The drive to be busy was lessened as the desire for quality became more important than the need for quantity.
As mothers, we are called to care for our families every day, whether we are in the next room or the next state. It never ends and it shouldn’t. But caring for ourselves and the health of our minds, hearts, and bodies is just as important.
Resting isn’t lazy or weak. It’s not something to avoid or fear. It’s what fills us up for another day, so we can give to the people in our lives. So take a Sabbath day. I mean, if it was good enough for God…
Do you take a Sabbath day to rest and recharge? How do you normally spend that time? I’d love to hear in the comments!
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