Happy 4th of July!!!
What a great holiday. No presents or extensive amounts of decorations involved (not to dog on those holidays) but it’s refreshing to take a holiday that didn’t take much work leading up to it.
Oh sure, just because I said that, someone is going to tell me what they had to do leading up to it. If it’s any consolation, I cleaned my fridge, took out the trash, cleaned all the dishes, and wrote blog posts for the upcoming weekend?
But truly, it’s time off with family and friends. Time focused on being outside. And if you are in my part of the country- the weather is ahhhhhmmmmaaazing!!! Time off that encourages kids to run around and act like kids. The hardest thing we have to think about: where will we watch fireworks?
A whole lot has happened in my life since the last 4th of July. I met my husband a few weeks after. Fell in love a few weeks after that. Engaged a few months after that. Nearly died a month after that. Healed and healed and healed the months after that….and got married somewhere in there. For me, this 4th of July will be about REST.
Rest is an incredibly important habit. Even now, as I write this, it’s not the Fourth of July. It’s earlier in the week because we won’t be using internet on Thursday. If you are reading this on Thursday, take no offense. Though I do hope you stop to rest today.
Mr. W and I are reading a book currently by our pastor Craig Groeschel entitled Weird. I’m also reading it with my YoungLife girls. The book goes through the many different things that may seem weird in this world that are incredibly important to the soul. The current chapter is about rest.
My family on the Fourth of July in 2011.
It’s not comfortable to rest. We are so used to our minds running with thoughts of what needs to get done, that sitting still can be awkward. And while rest can look different for everyone, I’m going to take the challenge Craig mentions in his book. To sit for 5 minutes doing nothing. Not praying, not discussing something (with myself…or others), not coming up with a game to play, not brainstorming of the next big idea that I always seem to have. None of those things are bad. And truthfully, those things will probably not go away for me. But my goal is to give it at least a 5 minute chance to letting my brain just rest.
My prayer for you this holiday weekend is to rest. To taste and see that the Lord is good. To reflect on the blessings in your life. And even when life can be harder (I can relate) look at the ways that God has still been faithful to you. Personally, I’m quite overwhelmed at this thought.
Thinking of you big sister! Hope you can watch Fireworks on your computer screen and reflect on God’s goodness even if you are celebrating the Fourth of July in Canada! Miss you all everyday!