Rainy days and the balance of work and rest

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I’m a morning person, no question. In my mind, a good morning is defined by a fantastic workout, several cups of coffee with my husband, a beautiful sunrise, and rediscovering the truth of God’s Word in a brand new way. Other than the cost of the coffee to brew, this fairy tale morning doesn’t cost a cent. I think that’s part of what makes it so magical.

Yesterday was supposed to be one of those mornings, except I awoke to the sound of heavy rain, signaling 2 things. First, the run I had planned was no longer happening. Sure, people run in the rain, but I’m not that kind of runner – the crazy kind that gets drenched during an already unpleasant physical activity. And as for the beautiful sunrise? Also no longer happening.

Being flexible is easier on a Saturday. I went downstairs for some caffeine, grabbed my Bible, and headed back up the steps to deliver my husband’s coffee. I still had 60% of my perfect morning recipe going for me. Nice.

I found my dear hubbs still under the covers, because raindrops on the window mean his version of a perfect morning – staying in bed to relax and drink his coffee. He invited me to do the same.

Climbing back into bed appealed to my fun-loving self, but my practical self heard this idea as straight foolishness. There was no time for laying around! If I got back in bed, how would I accomplish my to-do list for the day? Flipping the calendar to December had automatically added action items to my consistently lengthy list. I envy people like my husband who aren’t inclined to make and keep lists, who talk of writing a list for this or that, but rarely do it. They seem to have a lot more fun. Fortunately, my inner free spirit rescued me by whispering, “Do it.” So I drank my coffee in bed.

Technically, reading my Bible in bed was still accomplishing something, so my yin and yang were both satisfied. Can you even guess what I read? Verses about the importance of work and the importance of rest, many of them written by Solomon, the wisest man ever to live (besides Jesus, of course). God modeled a balanced lifestyle when He created the universe and then rested. Jesus kept a busy schedule, but He knew when it was time to get away and rest. David, Solomon’s father, filled the Psalms with similar concepts. His poems encourage us to be still before our heavenly Father and to rest in His safety.

Life needs balance. Work hard and enjoy the benefits of your work. You miss out when you do one and not the other. I probably won’t be lounging in bed very often; it’s just not the way I’m wired. I’ll still make my lists, check off tasks, and wake up way too early, but you better believe I’m looking forward to the next rainy Saturday.

 

 

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2 Comments

    1. Thank you for taking a moment to encourage me! I will continue as long as He gives me words. Thanks for reading 🙂

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