November Challenge: Day 25

Today I am grateful to have the next 4 days off from work. Last night I went to bed with a sore throat, but I figured I had just stressed my vocal cords singing to a client at work. Then this morning I woke up and my throat was now swollen too. I really wasn't feeling well, but I managed to get up and go to work. I was suppose to work 2 hours, but ended up working 4. I believe working these additional hours catapulted the effects of not feeling well. I came home to find out I not only had a swollen throat, but a high fever as well. This afternoon I was able to get some sleep and my fever has started to come down, but I am very aware of the fact that I wouldn't be able to go to work tomorrow. Yet, I would have to find a way to work or face the ramifications.  That is why I am so very grateful that I have 4 days off in a row. I am still in charge of Thanksgiving tomorrow, but at least I know that I can take a break if I need to rest. 

I haven't been able to eat very much today because my throat is very swollen, which makes swallowing hard. To give an idea: my tonsils are so swollen that the two sides are nearly touching. The only other time my throat was this swollen was when I was 17 and ended up in the hospital because my throat had swollen shut. This was just some random illness and not the result of an allergic reaction. The memory of this experience is brought to mind every time I feel my throat is swollen since I don't know what caused it the first time. Since I haven't been able to eat, I am thankful today for soup and hot cider. Both the warm soup and hot cider are soothing on my throat and don't require painful swallowing. 

The last two and a half weeks I have been running myself ragged to take care of everything that has to be done and I have definitely felt this taking its toll on me. It is said that if you don't rest then your body will become ill or hurt to force you to rest. I don't know if it is true, but I have needed to rest and I know that I haven't taken it because I knew I also had to get everything done. Needless to say I am grateful to have this afternoon and evening to rest. I encourage everyone to get the rest they need as much as they possibly can because there isn't always a holiday to bail you out. 

What are you thankful for today?

November Challenge: Day 8

Happy Sunday! Today I am thankful for a day of rest. After a long work week and a day of running errands my energy is spent and I am tired. Our fast paced world and culture has made the idea of taking a day of rest taboo. This morning I woke up and wasn't feeling well, mainly just worn down, but I honestly felt guilty that I wasn't jumping out of bed ready to accomplish another to-do list. There are so many things that I have to get done and even more to do in the next few weeks, months, etc. that it can be very overwhelming. The truth is that even when we are overwhelmed by our to-do lists that it is ok to take a day of rest. Don't believe me? Genesis 2:3 says that "then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done." If God rested on the seventh day then how much more do we need to rest? 

Rest is important to our health: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Rest allows us the opportunity to take care of our needs. It is important to balance our needs with the needs of others. If we spend too much time on others' needs then we become drained and are useless. If we spend too much time on our own needs then we prevent ourself from being used by God in the lives of the people around us. It is a delicate balance, but we need to strive to maintain it so that we can be of optimal use for the kingdom of God. Taking a day of rest is important. A few years ago I was working everyday, both at my office and at my church, and I was just drained. I didn't want to give up my work at the church, but I desperately needed a day of rest again. I ended up changing my work schedule so that I had Monday off, which gave me a day of rest again. Then my needs changed again and I worked within my schedule to ensure I kept my day of rest, this time on Sunday. In the Jewish faith the Sabbath is on Saturday, while in the Protestant faith the day of rest is on Sunday so there isn't a universally accepted day of rest. In a world that is constantly moving you might have to be creative with your schedule and find a day that works for you. 

Rest is important that is why God gave us a day to rest in our busy weeks. Today I am resting with a grateful heart that God gave me His day to just rest and take care of my needs. It is comforting to know that God has set aside this day for me and that I can take it without having to feel guilt. I a, thankful for Sunday and my day of rest. What are you thankful for today?

Strength In Weakness

Today I had my own thoughts, worries, and concerns. There were issues weighing on my heart and I needed time to process them, but time alluded me. Today, it seemed, my day was about other people: their worries and their concerns. With each new issue, I could feel life energy being drained from me and I wanted to scream out, "Leave me alone!" I wanted to emphatically state they should solve their own problems and stop putting me in the middle. Of course, I didn't and people seek me out because they know I will be there to listen. I don't want to indicate being supportive is a bad thing, but it takes an effect on you. Tonight, I feel myself drained and with more than my own problems to deal with, to think about. I am reminded to lay it all at Jesus' feet and to just find rest, "Come to me all who are weary." We have permission to release our burdens and be weak for a moment. God's strength is made perfect in weakness. Yet even as I rest, I am thinking and boundaries continue to resonate. I might be hurting those I love by not letting them suffer their consequences, something to think about as I rest.