Happy Wednesday, friends!
I’m joining my friend, Holley, today for her new link-up…Coffee For Your Heart.
Really, she had me at coffee…and, maybe, at the first prompt, too. 😉
What encouraging words do you want the people you care about to hear as they begin a new year?
I tossed this question around for a week and almost even titled this Why It’s OK to Wear Two Pairs of Slippers and Legwarmers While Drinking Coffee and Sitting Under an Electric Blanket on a Sunday Morning…but that’s really not what this is about. I promise.
😉
I took this photo this past Sunday morning, around 9:30 a.m. When I should have been leaving for church.
I really love my church…as in, REALLY love it. God brought our family there at a time when we needed people to be Jesus to us, needed a place where Sunday mornings felt like home, needed to be embraced and loved on. And we found it there, and it’s become home.
And so on Sunday morning, missing church is never really a thought. We just know we’ll go and that we’ll love it.
Plus, we really want to be there. 
Hubby and I went out on a date the night before. We hired a sitter and braved the really-not-salted-or-even-plowed-at-ALL roads around here to see The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. (Side note: such a fun movie! And bonus? A friend of ours from Indo was in it! :)) We stopped for dinner after the movie, and I wasn’t feeling the greatest…I have an issue that flares up occasionally and pretty much makes me miserable. I’ll leave the details out here and just celebrate the joys of being female. 😉
By the time we drove through more icy-snowy goodness than my heart rate could handle and arrived home, I had barely paid the babysitter before I was doubled over in pain. When this stuff happens to me, it’s truly brutal for about two or three hours. But it always, always passes.
I curled up on the couch and cried it out for awhile before finally dozing a little. But the pain just didn’t go away. It didn’t pass at all, it was a l.o.n.g. night, and by Sunday morning, I was still hurting.
A shower helped a little, but really, I knew what I needed to do…and that meant staying home.
I have to admit it didn’t help that I was freezing (Helloooooo, Polar Vortex. And goodbye, too. Please go.) and so I bundled up as much as possible and snuggled down under my two favorite blankets. (I may or may not have been sweating slightly by this point, but hey…for picture purposes, ya know. ;))
But I was mostly just bummed.
It was a depressing feeling to be left behind by my hubby and Mae, who got to go where I wanted to be.
You see, it had been a heavy week. A good one, but also one full of words and heart-spills…and sometimes those words you read on a blog take a lot out of the writer.
I was so looking forward to singing and worshiping and just being…sitting in a pew, soaking up the gift of a chance to be in the presence of my Father.
Instead, I sat on the couch with a mug of coffee and stared out the window at the STILL-falling-but-at-least-pretty, snow.
And I reluctantly picked up my Bible.
Read a few verses.
And I realized that I could sit on my couch and do exactly what I’d been longing to do…Worship Him.
I read a few pages of a devotional after those verses, spent some time in prayer, and I just kept hearing Him say it.
Rest.
Rest.
Rest.
It’s ok, Mel…to just rest. You need it sometimes.
It’s not something that I do well…and yet it was necessary. Needed, in order for me to be a wife and a mommy that afternoon and into the week.
Sometimes it feels like it’s easier to just push through those things in life that are harder, to keep going through the pain…and, yet, there are times He calls us to rest…sometimes from writing, sometimes from doing so much, and sometimes in the literal form of just crawling under a blanket and sneaking in a nap.
Maybe not an earth-shattering reminder, but it was definitely one I needed on this snowy, Sunday morning…one I need to remember throughout the year…and probably forever. And maybe it’s one you need, too…no matter what’s going on in your life, not matter how crazy the days or weeks…
Friend, it’s ok to take that time…to rest and just be.
And I hope you will. Happy Wednesday!
**************************
I love my sweet friend, Holley‘s, new link-up! Her Coffee For Your Heart: 2014 Encouragement Challenge is just what it sounds like. Think of Wednesdays as that day where I just share some encouragement…and you can pretend that we’re sitting at a table over coffee, just sharing life. Sounds like a great way to spend Wednesdays in this space. I hope you’ll hop over and join us!
Mel, I’m your neighbor at Holley’s link up. I have the same issues you expressed here from time to time — very frustrating, yes it is. I love that you worship in a place your soul long for, what a gift. I’ve been part of a church plant for over a year now and we’ve been meeting in the afternoon. The mornings have become my favorite time of the week because I do exactly what you did on that blustery morning. I spend time resting, listening and worshiping. I also started a community called the Sabbath Society and find rest in community is much easier than trying be disciplined alone. I would love for you to join us if you feel led to. Lovely meeting you.
Thank you for the invitation, and for your encouragement, Shelly! Finding that time to intentionally carve out for rest is something I need to be better about…and it would definitely be a good thing for everyone in our house, too.
So nice to meet you, too!
This is a message I need to be reminded of sometimes myself.
I’m glad you listened to God and rested your body and soul. I hope you’re feeling better. Much love to you today, Mel.
Thank you, sweet friend…you are always such an encouragement. Blessings and hugs today!
I finally took a two-hour nap on the couch the other day under a mound of blankets. With Christmas break, all the kids home plus four extra I nanny, I was exhausted! We try so hard to get everything done but God does call us to rest. Thanks for the reminder!!
I’m so glad you got that nap…it sounds glorious! Sometimes that rest is exactly what we need to keep going.
Blessings and happy Wednesday to you!
I am sorry you had a tough weekend…I had the “I want to die” stomach flu on Friday that left me exhausted and weak all weekend. I am finally feeling a bit normal again. So I feel your pain!! I slept more on Friday and Saturday than I have in years. But I needed the rest apparently so while it wasn’t for the reasons I would like – it was good to have the rest!
Oh, girl…I’m so sorry you had the flu! That’s just icky, and I agree with the whole, I-want-to-die, part. So glad you’re feeling better and thankful you got some rest.
(((hugs)))
It is so very hard to just rest sometimes. This has actually been a SEASON of rest and has been so difficult for me!! I think sometimes it’s when He calls us out of comfort and routine that He will show us amazing things if we will let Him. Learning to use every encounter, even the not so fun ones, sometimes change everything. Love your words as always! They make me remember that I am not the only one! He made kindred hearts to travel along this journey. Love you!
Oh, how well I understand this! I often have this idea in my head that if I keep going full speed, then life will be full. There’s so much for me to learn during those seasons of rest! So thankful for you, sweet friend, and that we can walk this journey together. Love and hugs to you!
I hate that you were so miserable, but I am praising God that He worked in that pain to speak to you and show you about rest and worship. Beautiful, friend!
Thank you, friend. I miss you…and the Nutella jar is almost empty. (I think I eat a spoonful of it every time I miss you!) 😉 Love you tons!
Morning dear Mel, I love how God takes our pain and misery and gives us morsels of His comfort and love. We women sure needed this reminder this morning..thank you for sharing your gift with us. Love you.
Friend! So good to see you here today…I love that Holley’s new link up is reconnecting me with some friends from the GSD link up last year! So grateful for you and your encouragement…love to you, too!
Hi Mel. I’m glad you are feeling better now. Sometimes, rest is what we need not just for the body but to slow us down enough to hear His gentle whispers.
We also went to see Walter Mitty last weekend for a date. I even wrote about it in my post for Holley’s challenge!
It’s always a joy to read your words, friend!
I loved your post…and that we both mentioned that movie.
Thank you for your sweet encouragement, friend…praying blessings on you today!
Yes – rest. Even God rests. I’m glad you were able to worship, even away from church – and I’m glad you have a church ‘home’ you love so very much!
Thank you, friend…sending big hugs today. So grateful for you!
Yes, this! I feel such guilt over ever slowing down. It’s funny how we’re pushed into rest sometimes and how it’s only then we realise how much we need it.
It’s so true that, often, the times I get the most rest are when I’m forced into it! Blessings to you today, Ruth!
Thank you for sharing. I too struggle to STOP and rest. But that is exactly what I have done this week. I have taken time off riding in the semi with my hubby and given myself permission to sit and read good blogs, clean up my email, journal good thoughts, read the Bible and Holly’s book, and rest. This has restored me to some sort of civility. I had really lost is with the holidays, the travel on a strange schedule, company, and I was feeling overwhelmed and out of control. I have not been totally separated from hubby, thanks to cell phone and maps for navigation. We actually probably talked more than we do in the semi! Yes, I am ready for warmer weather, but thankful for a warm place to be, a working furnace, food, and sunshine and hope of warmer weather.
What a gift to have that time to rest and recharge! Definitely an upside of the cold weather we’ve been having, for sure.
Blessings to you, Mary…thanks for stopping by today!
Mel, thank you so much for the reminder that it’s okay to rest. I struggle with that a lot and it sure helped my heart to hear what you shared. I wish I could be cozied up at your house today! I have a feeling we would have a blast together.
I wish that, too…oh, friend, someday it WILL happen! And I’ll have coffee, an extra blanket, Nutella, and cookie butter all waiting for you!
(By the way, we haven’t really discussed the wonders of cookie butter just yet with the GSDT…but I think it might be better than Nutella. And if you haven’t tried it, you need to. Soon.) 😉 Love you, friend…so thankful for you!
What a wonderful encouragement for the new year – rest. I really needed to hear that reminder. It’s so easy to skip past the rest and just keep rolling, but it really is so important! Than you for sharing your heart!
Oh, how much I get that. I usually just keep going and going and the somehow crash when rest becomes absolutely necessary. Thank you for your sweet words and for stopping by today, Ginger! Blessings to you!
I am currently being reminded not only of the need to rest myself but also that I don’t have to be in the church building to worship.
So glad you listened and rested both your body and soul. I pray you’re feeling better. Love you sweet friend.
Thank you, friend…such a good reminder that my worship doesn’t have to be in a church. And I am feeling better, too.
Blessings and love to you, Amy…hopping over to your place now!
Thanks so much for this reminder. While I am unemployed I have a hard time to remember to actually stop and rest, because there are other things that I just feel the need to get done. But I am learning that I have to listen to my body and that means listening to what it is telling me. Lately that is the need for rest.
Thank you for stopping by, Deanna…isn’t it so true that, often, we think rest isn’t important at all when it really is? Praying you get some good down time soon. Have a great weekend, too!
Yes, REST is such an important, welcome word of encouragement! I sometimes (okay, more than a lot) have to be reminded and made to rest. Jesus so longs to fill us, and we need the time to rest before Him. Hope you’re feeling better!
Thank you so much, friend…I’m feeling better. And thank you for being such a sweet blessing, too!
Ah yes – the power of Rest! Why is it so hard to make ourselves do sometimes? I think for me – it’s fear… fear of losing ground… fear of what I will have to face in the quiet… but it’s only when I am Rested – that I am truly well… and filled up and able to pour out without bleeding out dry!
I have learned over the years to schedule in Rest. Like – I actually write it down on my Bossy List of Things To Do… it’s vital and when I give in and actually sit back and let it wash over me, everyone around me is better for it!
Love you friend! So glad we are having coffee together over at Holley’s today!
So, first of all, I LOVE the phrase, “Bossy List of Things To Do”…I’m crediting you with that one. 😉 I think what you said is true…losing ground, fear of missing out…those things can make it difficult to rest. I’m glad we could have “coffee” together too, friend…you are a blessing.
Wow.. mel.. I could not wait to have coffee with you. And I was encouraged in my heart. I just love to read anything you write. You make me laugh out loud .. and ponder.. and rest.. i feel rest when i read your words. Thanks for the coffee for the soul!
Jenn, my friend! Oh, I smiled seeing your comment here! You are so sweet and encouraging…I truly can’t wait for the day when we share a long chat over coffee (in)RL! (((hugs)))
Hi Mel,
I love that you remind us that it is “ok to just rest.” I can go for days, even weeks, and maybe even months, before I crash. When I crash, I cannot move even though I plan to do it all. The thing is, when I take that time for myself, guilt creeps in and it tells me that I should be up taking care of the world. I know that the Lord knows my heart, and I should be relying on His word rather than the whispers of guilt over my time to rest and recover. Thank you for that reminder!
Thank you for stopping by today, Beatriz…I would agree that, often, guilt of all I can be doing keeps me from getting the rest that is completely ok and should be guilt-free. Here’s to both of us getting some good rest soon! Blessings to you.