Sabbath and others..

Morning, Bloggers!

Happy Saturday! :) I have a role this weekend. I'm Mr. Mom while Michelle is at Skycroft Retreat center in Maryland attending the Deaf Ladies' Retreat. It will be good for her and the deaf ladies this weekend. They're in my prayers. I trust that the Lord will provide for them spiritual food that they starve after. Cathy Williams from Austin, Texas, daughter of Loyd Williams, will be there to inspire the ladies. Lord, bless them today and tomorrow!

Yesterday, Michelle and I had a wonderful "Sabbath" time together. I learned about "Sabbath" last year at Zoe in Nashville. I must admit that I've put off observing our "Sabbath" time together on Fridays and we are going to try and lock Fridays as our day of "Sabbath".

Michelle was reading the book called, "Mary Heart in a Martha World", the theme for this year's Deaf Ladies' Retreat. Our Lord works wonders yesterday! While we were doing our "Sabbath", Michelle read a paragraph that also talks about "Sabbath". There will be things that will come up such as doing chores around the house, catching up with your work or shopping on a Sabbath. The author encourages not to substitute anything for the day of Sabbath. Put your pagers away. Stay away from the computers, videophones, etc. Of course, if there's an emergency, that's to be expected. I read another article about Sabbath:

Sabbath is taking a day a week to remind myself that I did not make the world and that it will continue to exist without my efforts.

Sabbath is a day when my work is done, even if it isn't. (hint, hint)

Sabbath is a day when my job is to enjoy. Period!

Sabbath is a day when I am fully available to myself and those I love most. (not only this can be with your physical family but your spiritual family as well (leave your pagers at home or in the car!)

Sabbath is a day when I remember that when God made the world, He saw that it was good.

Sabbath is a day when I produce nothing.

Sabbath is a day when I remind myself that I am not a machine.

Sabbath is a day when at the end I say, "I didn't do anything today," and I don't add, "And I feel so guilty!" (Amen?)

Sabbath is a day when my phone is turned off, I don't check my email, and you can't get a hold of me.

Awesome, huh? Now, you'll ask me, what's the benefit(s) of doing weekly Sabbath? Jesus wants to heal our souls, wants to give us the shalom (peace) of God. And so we have to stop. We have to slow down. We have to sit still and stare out the window and let the engine come to an idle. We have to listen to what our inner voice is saying.

Also, Sabbath is to reflect all you have done from Monday through Thursday whether good or bad, whether you provided for or not, whether you have shown your light or diffused it, and preparing for the day when we all come together to worship Him on Sunday asking Him to prepare us for, once again, our daily battles against the dark forces of evil.

Michelle read in the "Mary/Martha" book that the Africans trek for 3 days and stop and rest for one day. People were asking why they do that, trek for 3 days and rest all day? They answered that it's their "Sabbath", waiting for their souls to catch up.

Interesting, huh?

God bless you all!