Intentional Rest
I am stealing the beginning of this post from my good friend Stephanie who recently posted this on her FB page. As a musician it makes perfect sense - on a personal level, it is a challenge.
Life's Rests - John Ruskin 1819-1900
There is no music in a rest, but there is the making of music in it. In our whole life melody the music is broken off here and there by "rests," and we foolishly think we have come to the end of the tune. God sends a time of forced leisure, sickness, disappointed plans, frustrated efforts, and makes a sudden pause in the choral hymn of our lives, and we lament that our voices must be silent, and our part missing in the music which ever goes up to the ear of the Creator.
How does the musician read the rest? See him beat the time with unvarying count, and catch up the next note true and steady, as if no breaking place had come between.
Not without design does God write the music of our lives. But be it ours to learn the tune, and not be dismayed at the "rests."
They are not to be slurred over nor to be omitted, nor to destroy the melody, nor to change the keynote. If we look up, God Himself will beat the time for us. With the eye on Him, we shall strike the next note full and clear.
Taking time to rest has long been a struggle for me and at times difficult to define what rest actually looks like.
I spent last weekend with some wonderful women from my church. Being away from the demands of home and making time for reconnection were top priorities for the weekend. For me, this included some intentional rest/sleep time. Rest also looked like chatting with friends and people that I don't usually hang out with - all good things and good reminders of our need for others in our lives.
And for a good portion of my week I was visiting family - again, the schedule was pretty relaxed and there were minimal commitments. There was time for rest.
I have been away from my work place for 2 months now - lots of rest time - it has been nice not to have a given time that I need to be up and out of bed in the morning. It has been good to have the mental break from thinking and serving clients. I certainly know that I have not processed all that has happened there in the past 2 years - that feels like work at this point. The gift of meals after my surgeries have been wonderful and allowed me time to rest and not stress about that part of life. My schedule is more flexible than ever and I am in a life space that I have never been before - I am off work due to illness but don't feel unwell physically at this point. In the past, any time I have been away from work for an extended time it was due to a maternity leave and I had young children to look after - not so this time. So what does "rest" look like now?
Ruskin (above) is not wrong about rests in music - they are intentional and have a purpose in the larger picture of the musical piece they are a part of. Musicians faithfully respect them and allow the rest to have it's legitimate place. I am finding that this is harder to do on a personal level - there have definitely been days when my rest has been helpful and intentional. But there are also plain old lazy days where I have no focus, motivation, or desire to engage in life. It is tempting and easy to let those become more and more the norm. So I am back to the question - how do I become intentional about using my time to rest and heal - physically, emotionally, and spiritually - and not slip into old patterns of not allowing myself to rest?
Good thing I'm off to see my therapist this week!!
Life's Rests - John Ruskin 1819-1900
There is no music in a rest, but there is the making of music in it. In our whole life melody the music is broken off here and there by "rests," and we foolishly think we have come to the end of the tune. God sends a time of forced leisure, sickness, disappointed plans, frustrated efforts, and makes a sudden pause in the choral hymn of our lives, and we lament that our voices must be silent, and our part missing in the music which ever goes up to the ear of the Creator.
How does the musician read the rest? See him beat the time with unvarying count, and catch up the next note true and steady, as if no breaking place had come between.
Not without design does God write the music of our lives. But be it ours to learn the tune, and not be dismayed at the "rests."
They are not to be slurred over nor to be omitted, nor to destroy the melody, nor to change the keynote. If we look up, God Himself will beat the time for us. With the eye on Him, we shall strike the next note full and clear.
Taking time to rest has long been a struggle for me and at times difficult to define what rest actually looks like.
I spent last weekend with some wonderful women from my church. Being away from the demands of home and making time for reconnection were top priorities for the weekend. For me, this included some intentional rest/sleep time. Rest also looked like chatting with friends and people that I don't usually hang out with - all good things and good reminders of our need for others in our lives.
And for a good portion of my week I was visiting family - again, the schedule was pretty relaxed and there were minimal commitments. There was time for rest.
I have been away from my work place for 2 months now - lots of rest time - it has been nice not to have a given time that I need to be up and out of bed in the morning. It has been good to have the mental break from thinking and serving clients. I certainly know that I have not processed all that has happened there in the past 2 years - that feels like work at this point. The gift of meals after my surgeries have been wonderful and allowed me time to rest and not stress about that part of life. My schedule is more flexible than ever and I am in a life space that I have never been before - I am off work due to illness but don't feel unwell physically at this point. In the past, any time I have been away from work for an extended time it was due to a maternity leave and I had young children to look after - not so this time. So what does "rest" look like now?
Ruskin (above) is not wrong about rests in music - they are intentional and have a purpose in the larger picture of the musical piece they are a part of. Musicians faithfully respect them and allow the rest to have it's legitimate place. I am finding that this is harder to do on a personal level - there have definitely been days when my rest has been helpful and intentional. But there are also plain old lazy days where I have no focus, motivation, or desire to engage in life. It is tempting and easy to let those become more and more the norm. So I am back to the question - how do I become intentional about using my time to rest and heal - physically, emotionally, and spiritually - and not slip into old patterns of not allowing myself to rest?
Good thing I'm off to see my therapist this week!!
It is not easy to rest if there is so much on our mind, special when it is about our own circumstances.
ReplyDeletePeople can give you great advice but ultimately God says in His Word: Come to me , you who are heavy laden, and I shall give you rest.!
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DeleteThat is a good reminder - hard to remember at times.
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