An unscheduled break-when life throws a wall in your way

I had every intention of doing my best to make a blog post most weeks…and then life happened. Maybe a few of you can relate? I did have a SCHEDULED break the week of September 16th. I had the opportunity to take a solo trip to Block Island, RI to visit my two oldest children who worked there all summer. Kaitlan cooked at Block Island Beach House which afforded me the friends and family rate of $30/night in their boutique hotel! I was beyond ecstatic to enjoy three nights there for a whole ONE HUNDRED AND ONE dollars!!!

They had a courtyard with comfy seating right by the beach…I sat there a LOT. All by myself. Soaking in the sun, the sights, the sounds of the birds and waves, and the feel of the breeze (by the time I left, there were 60 mph winds!); praying, journaling, reading, drinking coffee, and even a yummy sangria.

The food on the island was good, especially the food made by my talented offspring. But most amazing was the time I got to spend with them. (I sometimes catch myself being in absolute shock that 2 of them are adults! Who knew how incredibly fun it would be to hang out and be friends with my adult kids?? Have I told you I have FABULOUS kids?!) Caleb even took me on a sightseeing trip. (I would add those pictures too but I think maybe there are too many for this post. If you have a burning desire to see them, they are on my Facebook page 🙂

In addition, I…

However, a lot of my time has been spent thinking about this man right here. I SURE DO MISS HIM!

It has been just over six months since we lost him. The missing is HARD. Time keeps marching and life is moving on without him. Every time this reality smacks me in the face, my heart is broken and my soul shredded all over again. Enter….the UNSCHEDULED break…

• from writing, because I have less energy, focus, and motivation
• sometimes canceling clients, because my own emotions are too heightened for me to do well at being present for others
• clearing my social calendar, especially from large group events, because my introverted self is occasionally overwhelmed by lots of people
• sitting alone in silence, because noise agitates my already overly activated nervous system
• Dropping the cleaning rag or letting the dishes sit a little longer so I can soak in every moment my kids choose to hang out with me (I’m pretty sure they’re there for me too, not just for the animals:)

Friends, it is ok to take care of ourselves. Our American culture tells us we should frantically pack every moment with activity. We feel guilty if our productivity doesn’t rival Superman’s. It is ok to have a day or even a week like that here and there, but our bodies, minds, and souls were not created for the frenetic pace we often subject ourselves to. One of my seminary professors used to say often, “We are human BEings, not human DOings!”

Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” I learned from a logos.com bible study that the root Hebrew word for “be still” (raphah) means to cease striving and put your hands down by your side. Once you are still, you can “know” (root word yada) that He is God. The connotation of this Hebrew word communicates that God calls us to believe to the core of our being that He is good and trustworthy. He is our refuge and strength and will guide us through every situation.

But HOW???? I don’t know about you but my mind is often clogged full of things I want to do, should be doing, need to be doing, feel guilty for not doing…well, you get the picture. Psalm 36:7-9 says, “How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.” This verse prompted a memory of a recent quiet time I had with God.

I bought a little devotional journal after my dad’s passing called “Praying Your Way to Hope.” One day the verse was Exodus 15:2:

The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

The author wrote, “Father, by the end of each day, I’m ready to collapse. I’m exhausted both physically and spiritually by family life, work, and worry. But how comforting and uplifting to know that I can renew my strength from Your fountain that is ever flowing. Your strength never runs dry. You replenish my soul.”

The mention of God having a fountain we can draw from struck my fancy in a new way. I wrote this in my journal:

If I was an artist, I would paint the picture I see in my head of the fountain of love, peace, and renewal flowing out of God the Father. I picture a peaceful garden filled with the quiet tittering of birds, a sweet breeze blowing just enough to keep the bright sunshine from being too hot. There are flowers of every color imaginable that are also being given life from God’s fountain. The water is cool and refreshing, but not too cold. It flows steadily but gently out of the Light given off by God. I can enter in any way I want-stand under the waterfall, wade into the clear blue lake waters, step foot in the gently flowing creek, or kneel and drink the sweet-tasting, life-giving water. This is a peaceful place; no worries or anxieties are allowed here. I can bask in God’s love as long as I want. Jesus comes next to me and puts His arms around me. His love, peace, and warmth permeate to my core, giving me the strength I need to re-enter my life and to serve Him by loving others. The beautiful thing is, I can come here anytime I want to. No matter where I am or what I’m doing, I can always choose to enter this place of rest.

There are all kinds of ways to meet with God and be still before Him. I found a blog post related to this that I plan on exploring more fully. The link is here:

The Ultimate Guide to Connect with God (Over 120 Ideas!)

Maybe a secret garden in your brain isn’t your thing, but I hope and pray you find a way to connect with God, and draw from the Source of all our hope and strength! And take the breaks-scheduled AND unscheduled!