Learning how to embrace rest

If you've read my blog much, you know that I lead a passionately full and busy life. Between school (for three of us), church and soccer, we stay active enough. But then I find myself just as engaged in women's ministry, writing groups/activities/conferences, mission trips, travel opportunities, an adoption ministry and blogging/social media.

It's all great when I'm healthy and have tons of energy.

When I get sick and stay sick for weeks on end, it's a different story. I came home from Atlanta last week absolutely exhausted. With a sore throat. Head congestion. An ear infection. And a horrible cough.

Kudos to my husband for doing all the grocery shopping for me (for the third week in a month) so I could rest all day on Saturday. By Sunday, I felt better than I had in a month (and frustrated that I had to feel so crappy while in Atlanta.)

When the weather took a turn for the worse and the district cancelled classes for Monday, I embraced the chance to stay home for another day. When they closed again for Tuesday, I definitely didn't complain. I sat around and did pretty much nothing, other than read a new book. I let laziness creep in. The boys had cabin fever by day two and wanted to venture out, but I wouldn't step foot outside my door.

With all that time off, I felt like I should have been more productive or something, but  I also heard that still, small voice telling me to fully embrace the rest offered to me.

It did me a world of good. I went back to class Wednesday (after a week away) full of energy and enthusiasm, able to focus clearly. We had a blast in class! When I felt rested, productivity returned naturally.

Bad weather came again  on Friday, but the school decided not to dismiss early. Kudos to my husband again for pulling David out of school early to keep him from riding the bus on a snowy day, picking Juan up after school due to not having soccer practice, and meeting me at my school precisely at dismissal time to warm up my car and follow me home. What a great example to our boys about taking care of your wife, plus I felt so cared for.

What should have been a busy week left us stuck at home watching TV and movies, sleeping in, reading books, etc. Almost all the boys' soccer games were cancelled, and the church even postponed the big Adoption Conference.

I struggled with letting laziness take over, but I realized that I can return to busyness with enthusiasm only after I embrace rest.