How To Rest on Sunday Sabbath

Over the years I have strived to learn how to truly experience what a sabbath rest could look like in our home. I always knew the Lord was good to provide us such a day (and for some of you, it might not be Sunday, but another day of the week) where our weary souls could rest and refocus ourselves on the Lord.

Here are a few tips to help make Sundays truly a day of rest:

1. Prepare all your clothes the day before. Everything down to shoes, hairbands, tights and socks--this helps so much for large families. Do all the ironing the day before too.

2. Fill the bags. Make sure your diaper bag is stocked with extra clothes and snacks. Did you remember to put your tithe in your purse? Did you pack a bag for coloring books and crayons for the wee ones while they sit in church?

3. Prepare the food---use a crockpot for a hot dinner when you get home.

4. Forget the dishes---and buy paper plates, paper cups and silverware just for this day so everyone can truly have a rest. If you want to use real dishes, you can hold off for cleaning and just soak the dishes until Monday morning.

5. Plan to really rest. Be intentional. Don't fill up the time doing WORK!! Turn you mind away from busyness and meditate on scripture or the preaching you are listening to. Try to fellowship with other families or spend meaningful time as a family.

Our church likes to have a potluck after the end of every service. All of the families bring a dish or two and we enjoy good fellowship for lunch. Sometimes we stay as late as 8pm just hanging out and talking with eachother! I know of other churches who do this too and the fellowship is sweet.

Twice a month our church has a thing called Simple Sundays. I really love this because on this day all the young daughters of the families make a simple meal or soup and help to serve it. Then when everyone is done eating, the fathers and the sons wash dishes and help to clean up. This truly makes for a rest day for the moms and women there and is such a blessing to teach the younger one's to serve in the church.

Now I would like to hear how you celebrate/rest on Sunday's. What tips would you add or idea would you include?

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