keeping the sabbath

This afternoon I had the opportunity to leave the kids with Andrew and do my own thing. What to do? Dive into the pile of books by my bed? Browse magazines? Tackle the bills? Write emails? Fold laundry? Clean up the house? In the end, I hung out with my guys. I lounged on the couch and watched Liam crush Andrew in Superhero Scrabble and the Ladybug Game. I curled up on the rocking chair in the basement playroom and babbled with Elliott while Liam and Andrew pretended the tent was their spaceship. Every few minutes my productivity monitor tried to convince me that I was wasting precious time. How could I just be sitting there doing nothing? I could be sorting receipts for taxes. I could be cleaning the too-small clothes out of Liam's closet. I could be taking a much-needed nap. Somehow I kept that urgency at bay and enjoyed every minute of those precious two hours, including the moment that Liam was playing his guitar and I said, "Liam, you are inspired." He stopped and gave me the weirdest look and said, "Mom, I am not a spider."

As afternoons go, it was one of the best. And as reluctant as I am to do it, I believe that there is life-giving reason behind keeping the Sabbath holy. I recently read on a website of faith practices some thoughts about keeping the Sabbath. Here's what the authors suggested as Sabbath "rules":

- Rest from commerce.
- Rest from work.
- Rest from worry.
- Rest for creation.

When I read this list, I thought, this is what I was made for. A simple life. No shopping, no working, no worrying... just creating and enjoying creation. Sounds like heaven. Sounds like this afternoon. May I have the courage to embrace this kind of essential Sabbath lifestyle every Sunday.