A Day Off Continued

So after pondering Sabbath rest and blogging a bit about it I decided to get in touch with some of my friends via facebook and ask them their thoughts on sabbath-ing. Below are some responses I received. (well said, friends!) Please add your own through the comments feature. And may you "grow to treasure Sabbath days."

Here is what I'm wondering:What is sabbath rest for you?What are you resting from when your sabbath arrives?How do you observe sabbath in your life?

Joseph writes:
Right now is kind of a weird point in my life in that I am scheduled to work one job or the other every day of the week. The days that I'm off my retail job it is because I am working with my summer youth group.During the school year, though, Saturdays tend to be a sabbath for me. I get up when I want - either early or late depending on what I want to do, and I just chill. I might do some school work, but it's not the busy, frantic work of the week. I may intend to do work but just do nothing all day, and I don't feel bad about it. I rest from being over committed and stretched thin.

Mark writes:
Well, if we go all the way back to the original meaning, sabbath is not so much about resting as it is about remembering. So, on my sabbath day of rest (Fridays!!!), I remember and celebrate where I've seen and not seen God in my last week and where I've been and not been the person of God that I need to be. This helps me refocus on what's most important. Then I'm prepared to go forward into another week.

Richelle writes:
"Sabbath: Restoring the Sacred Rhythm of Rest", by Wayne Muller has been life changing. The author of the book brings light to fact that we live in a world where we are rewarded for being overworked, overscheduled, over-everything. He also talks about how seeking a “successful” life can be a type of violence for in our doing so, we can hurt our physical bodies, our families/children, our spirits, our communities, and our earth. All of this is partially do the fact that we have forgotten the Sabbath. One of the most profound statements in the book is “If busyness can become a kind of violence, we do not have to stretch our perception very far to see that Sabbath time-effortless, nourishing rest- can invite a healing of this violence.” (p.5) After reading this book I have faithfully observed Fridays as my Sabbath. Whether you take a whole day or portions of every day, you need to schedule your Sabbath in just as you do office hours, hospital visits, meetings,vacations and days off. On Sabbath days i do not prepare sermons, take phone calls- I rest, reflect, walk, spend time with family and friends.Only for an emergency (death) will I return a phone call that day. It is up to you and you need to do it or your ministry effectiveness will be in jeopardy. Your Sabbath is also NOT your day off. I take Saturdays as my day off but an not as faithful in taking the whole day. You will burn out if you do not take a Sabbath regularly. God is pretty clear that we are to observe the Sabbath..It is for sure that the one who created us knows what is good for us. Talk to your congregations, youth groups, Sunday schools about this issue and encourage the regular practice of taking a Sabbath. It has been the best thing I could have done for myself.

Matt writes:
I haven't found a way to do a whole day of Sabbath, but I am intentional about participating in activities that refresh me. I attend a mid-week Eucharist at an Episcopal church most weeks, I spend time outside, I read non-theological books, I watch silly movies, and I make time to tend to my relationship with my wife. To me the prohibition of work on the Sabbath is that so we will focus on the other aspects of our lives, not become work-a-holics (a tendency of many pastors), and have a full and balanced life- to the extent that such a thing is possible.

Phyllis Writes:
Thanks for your message and the chance to think/reflect about sabbath. We hear in classes like Spirituality of Ministry, Homiletics, and others how important it is to keep a sabbath, to keep refreshed in order to keep one's own connection to God in order to serve others well. There were some weeks last semester (80-85 hour weeks between school and the small church that I serve 20 hours per week) when I would ask, "Ok, all you who suggest 'keeping a sabbath': just show me how!!!" The only time that felt like a "sabbath" to me then was Sunday late afternoon/evening, when I would make a pizza with my son and we would watch a Law and Order rerun while we ate our pizza. What a strange way to keep a "sabbath," yes? --- But it did feel like it, I guess because I was relaxing and spending time with my (grown) son, whom I otherwise barely got to say hello/good-bye to. This summer, I am working a "mere" 40 hours/week or so, and it feels as though I am on vacation! And, I have correspondingly noticed that I feel more refreshed in my care of the little church I serve. I have gotten independent confirmation: a couple of parishioners have commented that my sermons seem livelier, "excellent," "getting better all the time." I say this not to brag at all but merely to say that their comments seem to be independent verification that we DO need to have enough time to rest, to be whole, to recreate, to take care of other parts of our lives. This summer, "sabbath" is radically cleaning my house, cleaning up the yard, curling up on the couch and doing a Sudoku puzzle, and feeling overall more relaxed. What am I resting from in sabbath? From the normal tugs of the effort/energy I expend during the school year: school work (reading, papers) and also from preparing the weekly worship service and writing a sermon. Even though I enjoy doing those (especially preparing the worship service; I have learned that I love selecting hymns and liturgy), they are hard work. Good work, but hard work. Prof. Diane Turner-Sharraz told us that we should start reading the scripture for the following Sunday's sermon on Sunday evening. I told her that Sunday evening (during the school year) is the closest/only thing I have that I can call a sabbath and that I need to not read or even think about scripture on Sunday evenings. But by Monday morning, after my "sabbath," I am refreshed and ready to read and pray about the scripture coming up for the next week.

Penny writes:
Sabbath is really important in my life and I have been more focused this summer on it. My Sabbath day each week is different just like me. I do not check email, answer the phone, I focus on me. What I am resting when my Sabbath arrives is: I am resting my mind, body and soul from the weeks worth of needs and issues. I like to take God walks after having read a scripture or something reflective and reflect on where my journey is or has been, the people I have come into contact with at my Chaplain job. I also get to see where I am growing and be open to hearing the Holy One's response and further guidance. I believe Sabbath is a vital if I am too avoid burnout and to keeping my ego aligned with God. May you grow to treasure Sabbath days