Tomorrow a friend and co-worker has offered to come over for a few hours to take care of the kids, not so that I can go to a doctor’s appointment or do work but so that I can have some personal time for prayer, reflection and rest. Even writing the last words of that sentence feels so foreign: words that defined a me and a life that feel like distant memories! To put it mildly, I am grateful for this friend and her sensitivity to my need for a little space and time to catch up with my soul.
When I told Doug about this, I said plainly: “I don’t have the slightest clue what to do with myself for the day!” To which he replied, “You should come and hang out at the retreat center where Dallas Willard is teaching for us this week. You can enjoy the grounds and sit in on some of the class if you’d like.”
Let’s see, a chance to hang out with Dallas Willard in a beautiful retreat setting? Um….OKAY! Being married to the Fuller DMin. guy apparently has its perks!
Enjoy the hard-earned rest … I’ll be thinking about you.
I am so grateful you will have this chance to rest, Erika. I pray you will be refreshed in body, mind, and spirit!
Thank you both! I know that both of you are in places to really understand the value of this.
and dallas and keith and both excited to have you!!!
Wow–I will be praying for you. What a God-ordained moment! I hope it refreshes you and challenges you in unexpected ways.
I’m learning about rest this week taking care of my 91 year old father-in-law. It’s a peaceful rhythm of serving and waiting on his schedule with a few stolen moments to go down to a coffee shop to mooch the wireless and check my mail and read my blogs… staying up late and reading NT Wright…praying as I do dishes and clean neglected kitchen drawers.
I feel like Brother Lawrence practicing the presence of God. I hope I can keep some of this rhythm of serving and waiting and being content in the moment when I return home to my family and the other “important” accomplishments in my life.