As many of you know, I'm taking the next 2 months off to rest and truly enjoy some down time in between job transitions. I've decided to do this for myself but not just to sleep in and watch the Olympics everyday (as appealing as that sounds!), I truly want to enjoy this time. I have already spent my first 3 days with my godson Luke and my niece Avery and it has been wonderful. Last night Avery and I did a sunset stroller jog in the rural woods area by Ruth and Rich's in central Minnesota. It was enjoyable for me to just take in all of Minnesota's beauty in addition to staring down at the precious 3 month old girl.
Right when I moved out to California, it was a lot of go-go-go. I remember we were going to be doing some work in the studio which for me, pretty much means minimal sleep. I get anxious and always have to be double prepared because studio time is very precious. What I mean by that is, when you get producers, directors, make-up, lighting, talent, etc. to come together, you need to make your time count. So in between long hours at the studio and helping out with Aubrey, I was wearing thin. My mom sent me this card as a reminder to take care of myself.
It was such a great reminder that yes, although 24/7 can be fun, it can take its toll.
Kelsey Stuart, my good girlfriend from my Calvary Small Group shared something with me that she learned in her MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) group. A speaker came in and challenged them to turn off the TV, radio, Ipod, any background noise you have going on throughout the day. Think about the last time you really had some silence in your life. Kids are so used to always having something going on.
- Do you always have the TV on in the background when you're making breakfast in the morning?
- Is the radio or your Ipod plugged in and going 95% of your drive time?
- If you went for a jog, you'd bring your earbuds, right?
For me, these answers were all yes.
I took the challenge and decided to opt out of my normal "noise" routine for a month. And guess what? It was awesome!! Part of my challenge was to replace that "noise" with prayer. A quick example: I was able to give my worries that day to God during a short 4 minute drive to the grocery store and by the time I got to the grocery store, I felt so much better. Who would've known turning off the radio would've done that?
Silence. Rest. Relaxation. Downtime.
I challenge you to make time for it.
SaraHHouse365 | I will give you rest
SaraHHouse365 | Being Quiet
SaraHHouse365 | One Thousand Gifts
