Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers - for leading congregations

I used to skip over pictures like this too. And click past the blogs that touted the merits of Sabbath time. After all, who has time for that?

I’m learning though that I don’t have the time to not have Sabbath. I have spent far too many days and weeks with no opportunity to recharge and refresh. And I’m not as good at my work or in my personal life when I’m stretched and exhausted. None of us are. Heck, even our iPhones, a symbol of industriousness and connection, need to be recharged.

I’m learning the importance of Sabbath time each week. (Maybe I’ll eventually get to setting aside time each day. But it’s a process. And I’m some times a slow learner). I’ve always taken vacation time each year. I love to travel, and I think that extended time away from our routines is vital. But I haven’t been very good at finding time each week for rest and reflection. I’m a workaholic with a guilty conscience. That’s probably a pretty good combination for my employer but not so great for my soul. I work really hard, and if I’m not working, I normally feel guilty about it. That is, I did until this summer.

Our staff receives every other Friday off. I’m not sure when the practice began but I think it had to do with some lean years and a way to compensate the staff without busting the budget. For my first couple of years here, I rarely took the Fridays. There was too much to do (I convinced myself).

This summer, I was facing an abundance of unused vacation days so I decided to spread them out, taking the alternate Fridays off. For two months, I worked four-day weeks. My husband was convinced that I wouldn’t follow through (he knows me well). But I did. And I loved it.

The time was an epiphany for me. I found more joy at home – and at work. I was more efficient and focused in the office. And at home, I used the time to be with my family. For the most part, I didn’t replace a day of work with a day of housework or errands. Rather, I went to the movies with the kids, had lunch with a friend, enjoyed a day date with my husband. 

This Sabbath break quickly became treasured, cherished time. 

I decided to continue the schedule through the fall. And this week, I added a couple of vacation days to extend a weekend camping trip. On Monday and Tuesday, I played cards with my mom and sister and Battleship with my nephew. And I spent a good amount of time in the hammock, a thin place for me, as a I lost myself in the canopy of trees and the blue sky that stretched ever upward. 

I’m back to work today, fully refreshed and ready to put in a long, devoted day to my work. I’m not sure that I’ve found the perfect balance (is there such a thing?), but I’ve found that being purposeful and deliberate about stepping away from work is good for my soul and good for my work. I pray that you’ll find a way to carve out some time each week for refreshment and rejuvenation. And that you’ll respect others as they do the same (and if you’re a supervisor, that you will be both model and encourage the practice). 

On the seventh day, God rested. So should you. 

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