There were so many things outside of my control getting ready last week Monday for the clock to strike 3 o’clock to begin my Sabbath. I ended up starting my Sabbath around 4pm due to all of these divergences. I thought, “Isn’t that life?” But, rather than feel guilty or beat myself up over encroaching upon my Sabbath, I rolled with it and enjoyed my Sabbath.
I also had two days this week that broke my streak of eleven days of 8-hours of sleep. Again, rather than feel guilty or beat myself up for breaking my streak, I rolled with it and was back to 8-hours again. It’s been difficult as my body still hasn’t quite adjusted to having so much sleep!
The other resistance this week was a bit unexpected. At about 10:00am on Tuesday, with my laptop and phone put away, and several hours of reading and enjoying time in the Word, I wondered, “Now what?” I felt some anxiousness to do something, anything productive than just do nothing. It felt weird. But then I rebuked the thoughts and feelings and allowed myself to just be in my Sabbath with nothing to think about or do. Is it possible to just “be”? Well, it was the first time for me. So many thoughts and feelings came flooding and I needed to just release all of it like pulling the stopper in a bathtub full of water.
Sitting in my backyard on Tuesday morning as the sun was rising over the mountain and the palm tree blocking the sun to provide me just enough shade, birds chirping, and a cool breeze in the air, I just read the Book of Revelation (Bible – Jesus via John), Practicing the Way (John Mark Comer), Restless (Jennie Allen), Surprised by the Power of the Spirit (Jack Deere). And it was awesome! I journaled the following too: “Practicing the Way is about the spiritual formation that occurs when we apprentice under Jesus. John Mark Comer says on p.68: ‘What will matter most is who you become.’ We are all becoming someone, but the question is WHO are we becoming? At 98 years young, Christ-loving Aunty Sally Kaneshiro is the physical embodiment of spiritual formation.”
Being outdoors in nature. In my backyard with the sun, breeze, birds, and grass I felt near to God. Journaling came easy. Prayer came easy. I so look forward to this week’s Sabbath!