Tag Archives: spiritual journeys

The Importance of Rest: Finding Time to Pause and Reflect

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Ever feel like you need a vacation from a vacation? I wonder why we feel like that. It seems as though we are in prime season for vacations, and everyone is off doing this or that for “holidays” … but no one seems to have really had a time of “rest”. We plan and organize and fill our days with activities – which – don’t get me wrong – are all fun things to do – but it seems like often the time off seems like time on. Take our weekend for example, we visited family and friends and worked on the farm, did house chores, animal chores, church etc. etc. and then boom! we were back at work again! Where did the down time come in to effect? I am sad to say that I didn’t carve out that time to chill with just me and God and our thoughts for each other. I had a great weekend… just not a restful one.

Rest seems to be an elusive creature, doesn’t it? Even when our kids were small, we made sure they were active and involved in extra curricular sports and clubs, so that they enjoyed their time. Now, as they are older, we’ve shipped them off to summer jobs to work their summer holidays away. Yet, I find myself wondering if what we really need is time to do “nothing”. Not scrolling on our phones, not napping, not reading, but simply breathing. Still. Listening to the world around us and watching it go by. Waiting to hear God’s still, soft voice in the wind, echoing into our hearts, which only when we rest are attuned to His voice. It’s tough to do. Our minds and bodies are so busy.

Psalm 37 says “be still before the Lord”. How many times do we do this? What does it mean? A few verses before remind us to “delight in the Lord” and “dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture”. Moving to the country has allowed me to witness this. Cows and chickens “dwell in safe pasture” easily. They sit. They stare at the world going by them with little worry. (Have you ever watched a cow’s face when you drive by? They watch you as if to say, “slow down and enjoy the ride, you silly human!”) They chew some grass, they peck at some bugs, wander down field or up a hill. They enjoy a good drink when it’s hot. They “rest” without stress. They take the time to just “dwell” in the land. People seldom do.

We are so hurried. We need to get stuff done. We flit from job to job like busy bees upon a field of wildflowers. Even when we are on vacation. Have you ever looked at a mini van packed for a road trip? Or sat in an airport and watched people prepare for a flight? Passports, paperwork, lists and suitcases chocked full of things to do and an outfit for every activity. And I don’t have all the answers… my suitcase is just as full as yours. I simply muse at the fact that we are asked and reminded to “rest” … and we don’t. Until we, sometimes, are forced to.

Burn outs are real and common place in our day and age. Stress related illnesses and all kinds of ailments are the result of not taking a moment to breathe. We were not meant to be the energizer bunny. Eventually, our batteries give out and we come to a grinding halt. God designed us that way. We are meant to rest. Our physical and mental (and spiritual!) bodies need to reset and recoup. It’s in this time of rest that we fill up our own cups so that we can spill out and fill other people’s buckets up.

Therefore, as we muse about this thing called rest together, I will try remind myself to pause and reflect once and awhile, as I write to encourage you to do the same. Even when we embark on the remainder of the summer season with all it’s leisure activities – remember to pencil in some time for “nothing” but rest.

A Day off to Rest!

Still Learning

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Whew! It has been a busy week! Everything just seems to take a little longer these days. I think we are still in survival mode… even though it’s been almost a year since we moved out here to the country. I can’t believe how time has flown! So many changes, so much to learn. Learning. It’s what I’ve been musing about this week. If any of you have been with me since the beginning, you’ll know that mittonmusings.com was born out of a desire to continue learning… to understand how posts, blogging and all that jazz works. I can say that I have, indeed, learned a lot over the years. We created landing pages, contests, social media platforms, and many of you followed along during 30 Days of Blessings. That was fun!

I can honestly say that moving to a new town also had some learning curves. For one, everything closes so early here. We have adjusted our schedule to get shopping done, and meet the school bus at the very early morning pick up. Let me tell you, for us nighthawks, that first week of classes was tough! Yet, here we are at the end of the school year, and I can barely sleep in on weekends now! (I refuse to be a morning person, I refuse to be a morning person, I refuse to be a morning person…) Learning to have the hubby working from home and juggling our time together with less kids hanging around has been an adjustment. Simply knowing where to store stuff in a new house is sometimes a challenge! So much change. Not to say that change is bad. In fact, I think learning to change, adapt and grow is vital to life. You need it. Even if it’s hard — it’s important.

Often, that change is a struggle. Like the old song says, you can’t go over it and you can’t go under it. Sometimes, you just have to go through it to learn. You trudge along, make mistakes, get messy and manage with some trial and error. When we had our kids, they didn’t come with instruction manuals. We just had to learn. Then the next kid came along and all the rules changed. We had to learn what worked for that child. We were crazy enough to do it four times, each with a new set of adventures to learn! Even when the chicks arrived… I read, researched and tried to study… but I am still googling things and watching videos! Did you know that chickens must “learn” to roost at night? I just got back from putting them to “bed” and they were all huddled in the corner. I tried lifting them up one by one on the roosting bars… but a chicken’s brain is little. It’s going to take some practice. We shall keep learning together.

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com (not my ladies, but roosting!)

Humans have been learning together for years. Some of us are better at it than others. Our youngest had to do a year end project on a person or people who have “changed the world” as we know it because they did something. I wonder if any major changes have happened recently that future generations will do school projects on. Covid-19 world-wide pandemic anyone? I’m not much of a history buff, but time has a way of creating learning curves for the human race… whether we like it or not. It’s all part of God’s plan!

I was struck recently about the disciples and the early church believers and their misunderstandings. We know “it was all part of God’s plan” — but the early church had to go through it. How many times do we hear Jesus saying they just didn’t get it? Not that His parables were so cut and dry, mind you. Can we blame a few fisherman who see and hear things they could never have imagined and expect them to fully understand what was happening? Who would believe that such a great leader and teacher would allow His own arrest and crucifixion? And for it to all be part of the plan?! I am convinced it was a difficult learning curve for the followers to comprehend. Good grief! It’s hard for us to understand and we have it all laid out for us in black and white! Still, we continue to learn.

What about you, my friend? Are you in a season of real learning? Perhaps, you are the one teaching and getting frustrated with your students. Be patient. It takes time for some of us to “get it”. Often we have to struggle through it. Some of us have to be taught it over and over. Others just seem to have the gift of easy understanding. Nevertheless, we all must keep learning. Learning and growing and changing and adapting. It’s the way the Potter needs to shape the clay. It’s the way the vine and the branches get pruned and new growth starts. Fruit blooms from the new growth when our attentions are snipped and focused. Sometimes, we have to be taught to roost and rest at night. We need to be shown how to relax and not huddle in a corner. Yes, my beloveds, life is learning. Let’s share the journey together, shall we? We’ll meet back here again soon!

Photo by Akosua Gabriel on Pexels.com

Passenger Princess

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Are you a passenger princess? One of those people who does day trips in style? With the snacks, water bottles, playlists downloaded and the car find games all ready in separated little zip lock baggies for each of the kids? Or do you get in and hope there’s gas enough to get you there? I must admit, on any given day I could be either one of those people. This weekend, the hubby and I had a Saturday to ourselves, so we spent most of it in the car. We ran a lot of errands, picking up this and that, stopping to look at a few spots (including a church sale where I thrifted some great stuff… but that’s a different story). Around here, in order to get pretty much anywhere, you need a reliable vehicle. I have become a passenger princess most times.

It’s a funny thing, driving. Do we take it for granted? Do we remember it is a privilege which not everyone enjoys? Do we take advantage of the tools we have? I think most of us rely on our GPS now. I know I certainly do. Then again, I was one of those “print out the full map instructions before you go” people back in the day, too. I like to know where I am going and what the roads are like and how long it’s going to take to get there… then I can plan those snacks accordingly! 🙂 Our youngest is learning how to drive and she so hopes for the independence soon. Not that she may ever get the car… but, you know, hopes and dreams. I’m discovering I’ve forgotten a lot of the “rules” as she learns… can you change lanes in a roundabout? How many demerit points in not forcing a passenger to wear their seat belt?

Photo by Athena Sandrini on Pexels.com

Out here, there are a lot of different vehicles on the roads: cars, a whole lotta trucks, ATV’s and giant farm vehicles that go oh so slow (especially when you get behind them on your way to church!). I think driving is not only a valuable skill to have, but gives you so much more things to learn… patience for example. I lived in the city my entire life… but in less than a year, I have discovered city traffic is very stressful! There is something precious about taking your time. There is also something I noticed here that is not always possible in the crowded city. Emergency vehicles are much more respected. The rule is to move as far to the side of the road as you can in order to let the emergency vehicles passage… not always possible on a six lane highway packed with cars; but on two lanes, most times you have the chance to pull over and stop or significantly slow down. I always say a quick prayer for those involved, as we’ve needed an ambulance on occasion. My heart aches for the uncertainty of the “victims”. When you are aware, you have more time to think about it.

And then there are the other things that share the road. It’s time for snapping turtles to lay eggs… and we met our first one digging around in the gravel road preparing her nest the other day. There are several warnings around the lake to watch out for wildlife. I’m yet to meet a bear, but the hubby met several deer a while ago… which, in turn, forced us to buy a new vehicle. (Also another story for another time…). Foxes, stray dogs, skunks, many a squirrel or chipmunk, the odd cow or chicken crossing the road. The farmers are the slowest ones, though. Patience.

Watch Out for Turtles!

Many times, I have tagged a mittonmusing post as “faith journey” or “spiritual journey” related, because so often my musings and thoughts revolve around this journey we are all on. The ebb and flow of the road we travel, the people we meet, the hills and valleys we travel along and the times we need to slow down and pray for those around us. It really is similar to a day trip in the car. Are you prepared with snack and games for the journey? Which really means: have you planned?! Do you have a final destination in mind? Do you know where you will end up? I trust you do. And I encourage you to talk to someone if you’re unsure. Eternity is a long time to be unsure about.

There is a local road nearby which dips and climbs along huge ski hills. As you reach the top, you have a fabulous view of the rolling hills below: farmers fields in deep hues of green and golden brown, country homes dotted here and there. Depending on when you travel, the sky may be lit with all kinds of colours of a summer sunset or clear blue reflecting the lake if you look that direction. I love it when I get to go that way… especially when I am alone and can see where I am going… usually the highway far far ahead is visible, and I prepare for more traffic, less patience and a lot more cars travelling with me. It’s a “side street” that gets me to where I need to be, and even though it takes me a little longer, I often choose it simply for the pleasure of the drive. The garden center/farmers market is also there … which usually delays me further, but patience, right? We are all learning patience.

So as you take your road trips this summer, or make that daily commute to work, or attend that one more meeting, I encourage you to plan ahead and take in a side street… simply for the reflective view. Take your time to pray for those on the journey with you who need you to move over to the side sometimes and give them passage. Enjoy the scenery. Avoid the hazards. Be aware. Look toward your destination and be prepared. Sing along to the radio and bring all the good snacks. Travelling blessings, my passenger princesses!