Renewal

Do you allow yourself time to renew your mind and body?

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I used to think I wasn't a good mom if I did this.  If I had to leave my kids in another's care, there was always some amount of guilt attached to it.

Mr. Swindoll asserts that this just isn't true--that even the Savior encouraged his disciples to go and rest.

I believe this is true.  One of our purposes here in life is to be wise stewards of all the blessings received.  Without our minds and bodies, what would we have to receive these blessings with?  Our physical and mental selves are our greatest assets.

Image credit:  http://www.codinghorror.com/

In Stephen R. Covey's "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People," one of those habits to "Sharpen the Saw." If we don't take care of ourselves, we won't be able to work toward what we are to become in this life.  We will be ineffective.

As I've developed as a mom, I've learned a number of things.  First of all, I learned that my attitude early on was VERY flawed.  I felt marvelous after returning from a date with my husband or a girls night out.  I was better at the mom thing after some time away.  I was able to move slower and not feel so rushed.

Second, I learned that, in my situation, I had to be the impetus of things moving in the right direction.  I found a family in our congregation with a similar number of children and proposed a weekly date trade.  We'd go out on Friday nights and leave our children with them; they'd go out on Saturdays.  It worked marvelously.  Our kids couldn't wait for our date night.

Then, with that same family, every six months, we'd take a weekend away.  I blogged about an easy way to do this some time ago.  Here's a link, if you're interested.

One of the very best things I do once a year, though is go to this.  It rejuvenates my spirit and helps me feel the promptings that I need to improve in all areas of my life--as a mom, as a wife and as a human being.  If you can find something like this to attend, it's well worth the time and money to do so.  I live in Portland, and the tour frequently comes here, but there have been times when the closest location has been Seattle.  At those times, we've gone as a group of women, reserved a hotel room and made a girls weekend of it.  That's been THE BEST!

I believe Christ wants us to reach our full potential.  He's all about us being successful in whatever we undertake.  There is someone else, however, so wants us to be miserable like he is.  It makes me wonder if those little twinges of guilt are somehow his workings.

The last thing I have to say about this, though, is that all things must be done in moderation.  Follow what you feel/hear in your heart.  If you begin to feel that you're losing your ability to do well in any area because you're spending too much time for yourself, that's the time to reevaluate and steer yourself back into the right direction--to get your priorities back in order.  Make renewal a blessing in your life, not the foundation.




I've already posted this, and it's been here for at least half a day, but as I'm sitting here pondering on this topic further, another thought occurred to me.  Is the Sabbath used as a day of renewal?  Do we run around and do all the things we do on every other day, or is it a special day?  A day set aside for worship, prayer, service to others, etc.  I believe there is great joy to be found by taking the Sabbath day literally as a day of rest just as the commandment states.


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