photo credit: Luca Bravo

Why Did We Start Having a Sabbath Day?

Our Sabbath day is my most favorite day of the week! Well, maybe it is tied with Sunday– because I do love an awesome day at church, followed by a yummy meal and good company to share it with. Anyway, about a year ago, our schedule was so crazy and Matt and I were constantly worn out and frustrated with each other and with the kids. We decided to start making Monday a Sabbath day for us, just for a few weeks to see if we liked it. Well, we loved it! So we have kept it ever since.

What is a Sabbath Day?

Our Sabbath day is simply a day of rest, and it is based on a principle from the Bible. God, the Creator, Who never is weary, took the seventh day of Creation to model rest to us. He must have really thought it was important!

A day of rest is different for everybody. There are so many ways to incorporate it. A lot of people do a day of rest on Sunday, but our Sundays are too full. Because Matt is a pastor, our Sundays are busy from the Sunday morning service, the fellowship afterwards, and the company and lunch at our house in the afternoon. Sundays are awesome, but not restful. So we do a rest day on Monday. We keep it pretty simple. Here is what it looks like for us:

• The kids have the day off. I home school, so we have this flexibility. They do school on Saturday instead of Monday. So on Mondays, they are allowed to play all day, play games on a tablet, or watch something.
• Matt doesn’t do any church work. He has extra time to read, watch something, take a nap, etc.
• I can’t take the day totally off because I need to cook and keep the house running. But I try to do minimal housework and cooking if possible. I try to read, take a nap, and just relax. Sometimes I do extra cooking, but simply for enjoyment.

Mondays have become a favorite day for our family, but we have to work at it. We try not to  schedule anything on Mondays. We have to be intentional to force ourselves to take the time to rest, read, and rejuvenate.

What are the Benefits of a Sabbath Day?

Having a Sabbath day on Monday totally transforms our week. Matt and I actually get more accomplished in our week when we totally take off Monday. It sounds so counterproductive, but it really works. We also are so much more at peace. And on the weeks that are really busy, and we are just trying to push through, we encourage ourselves with the fact that Monday is coming! We can push today, because we can rest on Monday.

There are so many benefits to a Sabbath day.

• It slows you down. It’s a break from the rush of every other day.
• It’s a chance for extra rest.
• You get a chance to spend time doing whatever hobby you choose, without feeling gulity.
• It brings peace to the rest of the week.

What Does a Sabbath Day Look Like?

Here is what a recent Sabbath day looked like for us. Matt and I both slept in. When the kids got up, they just grabbed a tablet quietly. We got up refreshed and relaxed, lit our favorite apple pumpkin candle, opened all the windows to let the fresh fall breeze in, and grabbed our Bibles (and I grabbed my journal), and we sat and read our Bibles and prayed quietly at the dining room table.

After we finished, we moved into the kitchen to do some food prep for the week. Matt came in and helped, and we worked together and just talked. We cut and peeled apples for homemade applesauce from the apples we picked at a farm. I put some pork in the crock pot for dinner, and made a brunch of banana bread, kielbasa, and eggs for everybody.  After everybody ate and cleaned up, the kids went back to playing. I grabbed a book and read for a while. Then it was naptime for everybody.

After a good nap, I got up, prepped dinner, and made some paleo brownies for dessert. Everybody got up from their naps, helped get ready for dinner, and then sat down to eat. After dinner and clean up, I had time to read again for a little bit. Soon it was time for bed for the kiddos. We got all four kids in jammies, teeth brushed, and in bed and read to them for a little while. After that, I worked on my lesson plans for school for the week, and made my meal plan and grocery list for the week. I finished off the night with a little bit more reading time.

I told Matt that night, it had been the perfect fall Sabbath day. Now every Monday is not that perfect, but we are trying.

What Could a Sabbath Day Look Like for You?

So many people do their day of rest differently. Here a few ideas to get you thinking.

• Maybe Sunday works best for you. You go to church, grab lunch out (so you don’t have to cook), come home, get a nap, and read. Sunday evening is church, or small group, or family time at home.
• Some ladies do a half day one day and a half day the next day. For example, maybe Friday afternoon into Saturday morning is your Sabbath day. Friday afternoons are a time of rest and free time. Dinner is pizza delivery so you don’t have to cook. You watch a family movie together and get to bed at a good time. Saturday morning is a chance for more free time and an easy brunch, or everybody takes care of their own food. Then once noon hits, the schedule picks back up; but you don’t schedule anything on Friday nights or Saturday mornings.
• Or maybe your Sabbath day is during the week. Maybe it’s Tuesdays. After you get the kids off to school, you take the remaining hours until school is done to rest, and do something that rejuvenates you. Maybe you grab a cup of coffee and do your Bible reading and prayer for the day. You fit in a nap and a chance to watch that movie you have been wanting to. When the kids come home, you are rested and relaxed and ready to jump back into “Mom” mode.
• Note: Don’t underestimate the need for a Sabbath even if you don’t have kids or are single. You still need scheduled time for rest, doing something that you enjoy, and a break from your crazy schedule.

Is it Worth It?

It takes time and creativity to make a day of rest work with your schedule, but the payoff is so worth it. Start small. If you can’t take a whole day off, pick an afternoon or an evening. Try it for just three weeks and see if you don’t notice a huge difference, like we did!