When Nathan and I first got married, we would often use Sundays to catch up on housework, homework when he was in school, or other busy work so we could be prepared to go into the week. About a year in, Nathan decided that we needed to take our Sundays instead to rest rather than work. We made a big transition that wasn't always easy, but it has truly been worth it.
It's honestly hard to admit that we take Sundays 'off' to rest and recover. I feel like I should be superwoman, and just go-go-go every day of the week. I shouldn't need to rest! And I don't want other people to know that I NEED that time to get ready for the week. I know tons of people who don't get that time, so why should I?
But really, I do need rest. And resting, I've discovered, is different for every person. I know some families that literally do nothing on Sundays. They stay inside for the most part, maybe watch TV, don't cook, and just hang out or read. Then there's others who take one day a week as family time - Sunday or not - to be together with no expectations and no schedule. Still others take times to rest, if not a whole day, and will just relax for an hour and be recharged for the week.
None of that is right, or wrong. For me, resting means no timeline. Each morning I think through the day, what I'm going to accomplish and when, and then go forward. Usually this is helpful, but if things don't go as I planned, I get stressed out, anxious, and impatient. Sunday is my day to forget all of that. I have no plan, no schedule.
This really and truly doesn't mean I do nothing. I will absolutely watch as much football as possible from September-February every single week. Sometimes I'll blog, or edit pictures, or get a little caught up on photography. Sometimes I cook or do a few house chores, sometimes I don't. I usually take a walk at some point, but I don't have to. And as soon as I get tired of something, I stop. If anything becomes a chore, I'll wait until another day. This is the best way for me to relax and feel truly rested going into Monday.
Granted, this isn't possible every single week, and some seasons are busier than others. But overall, this is how I choose to take a breather from the week. Maybe everyone doesn't need it; heck, maybe a LOT of people don't need it. But I do. And I'll admit it now. Because when I get home from church on Sunday, sit down on the couch with a pot of tea brewed just for me, and watch the Broncos beat the Jaguars (knock on wood!), I want to enjoy every minute of it, guilt free. Happy Sunday indeed.
What about you? Do you rest? How do you kick back and relax?
