I'm continuing my mini series MOMS Help 911 - today and picking up the theme of REST from this post, and I'm calling this:
Learning to REST with Beauty Pauses
I’m a firm believer in scheduled periods of REST. God gives us 168 hours a week and 56 of those hours SHOULD be spent sleeping (eight hours a night)– so that our bodies and minds can rejuvenate. If I've done my math right, that leaves 112 hours to manage and create margins over a seven day period.
But, if we are seeking to practice the “work 6 and rest 1 day” principle, that would force us to work, be disciplined and schedule our margins so that we could truly REST – have a Sabbath on that ONE day.
But, how in the world does a mom REST – or find REST at all?
I want to suggest some possibilities for moms to work in a few moments of REST that I call a Beauty Pause.
A Beauty What, you say?
Good question - let me explain!
First, true beauty starts in the feminine soul ~ a woman. When a woman's soul is refreshed and restored, her countenance shines with beauty and the attitude of her heart graces her to sail through just about any life storm.
Restoring Beauty is necessary. It's something we can't deny that our souls need and deserve. It's like proper skin care to the face - is proper soul care to the woman.
Too many women run here and there - running dry - chasing spins and living an un-Centered life. Is that you? Is your soul dehydrated, famished, or drained?
If you are groaning a whispered “yes” then please know, there is hope. Hope for the beginning of restoration can be found in applying and practicing a few “beauty treatments for the soul” – I call these Beauty Pauses.
Take 10
The first Beauty Pause is to take time out-of-doors to see the beauty of God’s gift: His created earth.
Go, take 10 (minutes). What do you see that you haven’t seen in a long time? What do you hear that you haven’t heard in a long time? What can you smell that you haven’t smelled in a long time? Doves cooing, orange blossoms blooming, a balmy breeze blowing, puffy white clouds lacing mountain tops, or baby Cactus Wrens chirping for their supper?
When we cease racing compulsively through mornings, afternoons or evenings, we grace our soul to recapture life and beauty.
God commanded us to observe a Sabbath rest. If I’m going to restore beauty then what’s required is a Sabbath rest from everything I’m striving for.
“Be still and know that I am God,” the Psalmist writes. When we never “stop to smell the roses,” we miss something of the Creator’s touch upon our souls. We miss the Gentleman’s whisper, wooing us to, “Come away, My Beloved. I am yours and you are Mine.”
Breakdown occurs within the feminine soul that has not created arenas for a Sabbath rest ~ for Sanctuary. When the feminine soul no longer “sees” or “hears” God, it may be that she's purchased idols with credit cards. These idols will eventually fall on her - and the bummer thing is that she'll tear her house down too.
Think about this. . . .
What would it feel like to have the arms of God around you at this very moment? What would it feel like to hear His gentle voice say, “I love you My darling one”?
You and I were meant for to have that communion with the One Who created us. Restoring Beauty creates arenas for our souls to be refreshed through Beauty Pauses.
More on Monday. . . Missed the series? Here's One, Two and Three and here's Mom Advice on Being Frugal.
2 comments:
Lylah! I just found out about your blog through Mrs. Querido at Five in the Potter's Hand. If you haven't already awared all the books away I would love to read it!
Love your blog, by the way, I'm off to do more exploring!
Lylah,
Thanks for reminding me that I do need to take time to get out of doors. I am going to do that today!
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