For a short while, a very short while, I believed that Sabbath Keeping was about family bonding.
During this season, I set into motion all these plans for delightful family crafts, games and activities.
I soon discovered that my kids had a name for our family bonding. F.F.F.
Forced Family Fun
As it turns out, Forced Family Fun is not fun for anyone, especially me, who usually came away disappointed by the profound lack of precious family moments it ever created.
I praise the Lord for families who can successfully pull off planned family bonding time. It just never worked well for us. We did successfully do it from time to time, but more often than not, with our crew of special needs kids, someone was in melt-down mode. We learned to go with the flow, enjoying what did work for our family . . . bonding with one kiddo (or 2 or 3) at a time.
So, enter A Mom’s Guide to Sabbath Rest.
Strategy #1
Find a body – any BODY warm enough and safe enough to keep your kids from “broken bones, blood, fire and flood” and then run.
RUN! Far away if necessary.
Sometimes I just hid in a bedroom or on the front porch, but I often slipped out of the house to a “quieter” corner somewhere close to home . . . Dairy Queen, coffee shop, a park or a friend’s back porch.
And once there, I reminded myself to breathe.
One hour. Two. Sometimes three.
It was a weekly gift, a treasure beyond compare.
HOW?
If you have a willing spouse, tag team! That’s what Tim and I did.
If you have amiable neighbor or grandparent – ask!
If you have a friend with small children, swap “kid care” every other week for each other.
Hands down, this weekly (or bi-monthly) getaway was my sanity.
I knew I had two hours of calm and quiet coming my way every Sunday. For 120 minutes, I did not have to poke, prod or produce anything for anyone. I was off the hook, free – momentarily – of all responsibility.
It was a life saver.
It made all the difference in the world when the demands of my kids far outweighed what I had to give them each week.
Firemen tell us, “Stop, drop and roll.”
God says, “Stop. Drop. Receive. I will refill. Recharge. Replenish.”
Would you like to hear other strategies for Sabbath Rest? Let me know. We can share more. In the meantime, what works for you?
Brenda,
Great advice at any age. In the midst of all the activity here in Punta Gorda, FL trying to get this duplex into guest friendly condition, I’ve pushed so hard that yesterday taking an hour to relax in the lounge chair on the lanai was soooooooo refreshing and helped to gain a much better perspective of dealing with all the little challenges! Your writings are such a blessing.
Judi!
You are right. These are encouraging words for all!
So grateful you were able to lean into an hour of “Ahhhhh!”
Feet up!
It is good for the soul.
I am learning to allow my kids to be who they are. Oh, it is gut wrenching at times. But, it brings sanity. As a child, I would go upstairs, away from everyone, I would set up my dolls in front of the chalk board and teach them the lessons I was learning. I loved that. I wanted to be married, have 6 kids, and be a teacher. Well, two kids was all I could handle. They didn’t sit quietly in their chairs and listen with rapt awe over the lessons I taught. And Sunday School teaching? Well, let’s just say it’s not for the faint at heart. But Jesus…. He love the kids and put a deep love in my heart for them….stinky, sweaty, I’ll behaved. And He gave me a place, in Him, where I could get away, have some sanity, get some perspective. Granted, it was often at night when everyone was asleep and tears soaked my pillow. But He met with me. Then, throughout the week, He opened my eyes and mind to ways I could relate to these un-doll-like humans. We could laugh, roll on the ground, be real. It was my moments when Jesus was most real and I knew He loved even me….in perpetual melt-down.