Getting Lost so i can find my way- the practice of the sabbath

I remember pondering the 10 commandments a few years ago and in a joking way, I reflected on the 6th Commandment that says to "remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy" (Deuteronomy 20 verse 6, New International Version).  I joked about how the 6th commandment was the optional commandment.  If you're anything like me, your life may reflect a manic mess of busyness between your work (this includes all you stay at home parents), family, personal commitments, and other activities that fill up your calendar.  In my busyness, it can be hard to live in the present, to savor the joy of each moment, and to linger in the experience of relating to another person in a deep and soulful way.  Additionally, not doing any work related activities or things to keep busy, at times, seems foreign and even uncomfortable.  In her book  Sacred Rhythms: Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual Transformation, Ruth Haley Barton says that the "point of sabbath is to honor our need for a sane rhythm of work and rest.  It is to honor the body's need for rest, the spirit's need for replenishment and the soul's need to delight itself in God for God's own sake.  It begins with a willingness to acknowledge the limits of our humanness and take steps to live more graciously within the order of things" (Barton, p. 37, 2006).  Fully describing what Sabbath is and how you can practice it can encompass an entire website let alone a blog posting.  Nonetheless, here are some tips to implement practicing the Sabbath: 

Start simple: commit to scheduling a time to experience the Sabbath.  Try a partial day to start with.  Starting a new thing is often the hardest part so be courageous and simply do it.

Create a rhythm: as you get used to the discipline of keeping the Sabbath, schedule it in for a regular day and time per week.  They rhythm of knowing that you will rest helps us to tend to our weary souls and bodies in a gentle and intentional way.

Engage others in the Sabbath: get your spouse and kids involved.  Turn off the television and other battery operated gadgets to slow down and enjoy things like taking a walk, enjoying nature, or talking.  Find some friends and practice the Sabbath with them. 

Determine things to say no to: saying no is not just about not doing things, it is about resisting activities that keep our hearts in a state of unrest.  Say no to work, to-do lists, and major decision making.  Consider saying no to buying or selling things that subtly feed our sense of consumerism. 

Determine things to say yes to: what brings you joy and rest?  These are things to say yes to including taking naps, talking a walk, riding your bicycle, eating your favorite foods, spending time with family or friends, enjoying nature, reading a book for leisure, and engaging in meaningful spiritual activities.

At best, I envision looking forwards to a rhythm of engaging in the Sabbath where I can get lost in things that are meaningful to me, enjoy my time with my family and friends, and truly feel the presence of God as I put aside my worries for a set aside length of time.  And in the joy of being lost in enjoyable activities and relationships, I believe I will remember that God is in charge and that I can find my way again. 

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