Margin and Rest

The preaching sabbatical is almost coming to an end (first Sunday in September, we will be back to Grace Chapel!). Despite my sabbatical from preaching, I think one thing I continue to look for in life is some general margin. This has come to mind because I have been on a preaching sabbatical for three months and one of the more common comments that has been made to me through notes and e-mails has been, "I hope you are finding some time to rest and relax during your sabbatical."

I know this has been what I was supposed to do. Unfortunately, I have not been very good at resting and relaxing. Let me qualify this with a few statements: 1) we have taken trips galore this summer, something we would have never been able to do without a sabbatical (trips to MN, CO, TN, FL to name a few places) and 2) it has been very refreshing to get out and see other churches, what God is doing in those churches as well as be reminded of what it's like to be a "newcomer" in a church setting; 3) last week, my parents took us on a Disney cruise as a "last event of the summer" sort of thing.

All these things listed above were incredible blessings and things for which we are so grateful, but restful and relaxing they have not been! Being in the Bahamas was great fun, but chasing a three and four-year old around the ocean, while fun, was not relaxing.

I don't know all that I will have learned from my sabbatical- I think a great deal; however, I think the art of "relaxing" and being refreshed will be less a product of circumstance and more a matter of the heart. As originally planned, I have been off to Schuyler a few times this summer to retreat on Thursdays. However, how many times have I been in a hurry to get back to check e-mail and get things done and how often have these things occupied my heart and mind while on my "day retreat."

Lord have mercy. I think finding margin in my life and truly resting ultimately will come from a life that is growing and maturing in faith, faith in the Lord who gives us rest (Matt. 11:28), that He sees rest as inherently good (remember the seventh day creation thing?) and that building margin in our lives and recognizing our need for it as representative not of someone who is unproductive, rather as someone who recognizes the finitude of her humanity and is OK with living within its bounds (isn't there something here about "letting God be God"?).

All that to say, the blog postings have been infrequent as of late. I know- life has gotten kind of crazy as of late. I hope to post some more before the sabbatical is over but am not decided if I will continue thereafter.

Well gotta run . . . and check my e-mail.