Breathe In
There’s a healthy reason to everything God wants us to do.
Recently Pastor Robert Morris of Gateway Church in Dallas, Texas spoke about the example God gave us in honoring the Sabbath. “For all the days God was birthing creation there was constant out-put. By speaking creation into being God was breathing out, then on the seventh day he rested in order to breathe in.”
If our lives are nothing but out-put, if we never stop to breathe in, we will not survive.
Although Pastor Morris’s teaching was on observing the Sabbath and keeping it Holy, this extraordinary insight can also be applied to our practices of time management and self-care, especially as parents.
When it comes to raising a family, it may feel like we never get a day off, but we can stop to take a breath. If our God Almighty stopped to rest and take in all He created and all that was good, how much more should we?
Aside from the physical act of taking in air, here are a few suggestions of what “breathing in” may look like:
Start by making a list of your local favorite places or activities you can count on to lift your spirit.
Favorite restaurants, galleries, art houses, movie theaters, gardens, museums, book stores, beaches, hiking trails, bike paths, spas, antique stores, etc.
Also, create a second list of local places you’ve never been to but want to explore along with new activities you would like to try. Consider cooking classes, dance lessons, water biking, new restaurants, different museums, parks, or old historical sites in your area.
Keep these lists handy for easy access and quick decisions. That way, when a window of time opens up for an opportunity to fill the tank, you’re not wasting your time or making yourself crazy (and stressed) figuring out where to go or what to do.
Finally, create one more list that includes destinations outside your area. This list would include new places you want to visit for the first time as well as places you’ve loved in the past and want to return to. After all, you may need to catch your breath for a few days or better yet, a few weeks!
Oh ya, don’t forget to have that list of trusted babysitters on hand as well! Now, stop, rest and Breathe In.