Catch Up Day

Rest. I'm not sure I know how to do it. 

I mean, I can sleep. I can mindlessly watch a TV show or a movie. I can prop my feet up and read a book. But most of the time, I'm not sure if doing those things for my body are really resting my soul.

If I go to bed stressed - I'll wake up stressed as well. If my mind is racing when I start a chapter in book, many times it's still racing when I finish. TV sometimes makes me feel more frantic than I was before I sat down to watch!

I didn't realize how un-rested I was yesterday until I had a minor freak-out in front of the kids because the contact paper we were using for a project wouldn't go down smoothly without a fight. Then a capillary burst in my eyeball. Never had that happen before. Bloody eye! (Pun intended.)

OK. Something has to give.

Which is why I decided to implement the "Catch Up Day." We will have one every two or three weeks - or whenever I need one for sanity's sake. Mostly the kids did whatever they wanted (except watch TV.) And Elijah worked on his book that he is writing and some science stuff that we hadn't had time to do last week.

I cleaned. Thank you. 

My husband says I have OCD. I have fervently denied that fact for the entire decade plus several years that we have been married. But when my husband recently told me a story of someone he knew who had really bad OCD, who couldn't function unless the cereal boxes and canned goods were all aligned with the edge of the shelf and with the labels facing in the outward position (and to be fair, he was saying that he thought I had it - but NOT as bad as this guy;) all I was thinking  was "Oh, that sounds SO nice. Let's please do that." So, I'm beginning to believe him. I just can't rest in a chaotic environment.
And it was time for some order around here.

(See the Pokemon card and the Legos in there? Yes, I DO throw those away if I sweep them up! 1 point for Mom.)

Even after cleaning two rooms and doing some laundry - I feel way more rested than I did when I woke up.

But thinking about resting - and ways not to further burst any blood vessels in my body, I began mulling over the Sabbath. God says that He created it for man - not the other way around (Mark 2:27.) Like, it's a gift. Something we need to live the way we were meant to.

"Come to Me, all you who are struggling hard and carrying heavy loads, and I will give you REST." (Matt. 11:28)

I know that for me, I feel truly rested when I spend time in the Word of God, or some quiet time just praying. I feel rested when I visit with friends and we share each others lives together (enjoyed some great grownup chatting with a friend just today at the pool!). I feel rested when I spend some good, quality time talking with my husband, or having a date, or watching my kids have fun on a "family date." 

I feel rested when I exercise.

I feel rested when I eat healthy.

I feel rested when I have a clean house. 

But I also feel rested when I don't give myself any sort of agenda. When I take a day to not do anything. And I am making this statement to you now that I am going to try and find some time for that. That is the hardest one for me out of that list of things. But I think it's needed. Very much so.

All that to say, I do not feel guilty about our "Catch Up Day." And I'm really going to try hard not to feel guilty when I schedule my "Do Nothing Day."

 Please, somebody, hold me to it.