My kids have no problem playing. In fact, given the choice, they will choose playing over anything else – homework, chores, sleep. They have a built-in propensity to enjoy themselves and don’t hesitate to set aside more mundane tasks to engage in some plain old playtime. Me, not so much. I’m not sure when I lost my talent for play, but somewhere along the way it was … [Read more...]
Getting Back to Nature for Restoration
A few weeks before my 18th birthday, my dad took my brother and me on a camping trip to the boundary waters of Minnesota (the boundary waters are a series of lakes between northern Minnesota and Canada). We loaded a Duluth pack (a large backpack) and a couple smaller backpacking packs with supplies and headed out in a canoe for a 6-day trip. We canoed through the lakes and … [Read more...]
The Secret Power of Silence
Our lives are noisy places. Between the hustle and bustle of work and life, we are bombarded by constant noise. In our 24/7 world, silence is of little value. The radio blares music or commentary and television beams images and stories and news. The noise level has reached such staggering levels that silence may even seem scary. We may say we yearn for peace and quiet, but when … [Read more...]
Declare a Pajama Day
Our work lives have been compared to hamster wheels in which we are the hamster, running and running with nothing to mark our progress except the squeak in the wheel. From dawn until dusk, and often long after dark, we move incessantly from one task or activity to the next. We run here and there and try to get it all done. Sometimes we just have to get off the wheel! This is … [Read more...]
Finding Peace in Sabbath Rest
I recently started reading a book titled 24/6 by medical doctor Matthew Sleeth. It is a book about Sabbath rest. I have read other books about slowing down, adding Margin to busy lives, and spending time with God. I’m no stranger to the fourth commandment: Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the … [Read more...]
Snow Days and Other Impromptu Days of Rest
This winter has had a record number of snowfalls in many areas of the U.S. The number of snow days for school children has exceeded what seems reasonable to stay on track with academics. Even businesses and government offices have shut down, giving adults snow days too. While snow days are somewhat inconvenient because they mess with the routine, they also offer an impromptu … [Read more...]
