What a day... today has been very relaxing and I have to be honest that I struggle with feeling a little guilty about that. I've worked for the last few weeks straight with no days off until now - working daily at Grace (which I love), working on the "off" weekends leading worship for conferences/playing concerts (which I also love), spent time working on the new CD (which, again, I love), and the list goes on and on. If I love all of this stuff, why feel troubled and why feel the need for a break?

For one, we're almost 6 weeks away and being pregnant can be physically taxing. I guess it has something to do with carrying another person around??? :) I love it... I also know that it requires more rest than I'm accustomed to. So, today, I declared Sabbath. I said "no" to things that are associated with work and "no" to things that would drain me and I said "yes" to things that fill me - this included lunch with a best friend, a bath, a pedicure, shopping for a few gifts for some gals that are throwing me a shower tomorrow, watching Oprah, cooking dinner, and writing on this blog. (I gave myself permission to write on the blog because I really enjoy it, although, I ruled out anything associated with work emails.)

What does this have to do with the baby and parenting and this blog? Everything. At church we've been doing a series on the idea of sustainable living. I've been thinking a lot about what we want to model for our children and a sustainable life is definitely one thing. It's not something that I can say that I honestly have right now. (...it's kinda hard to model something you don't do/have...)

This week I have been feeling very exhausted after multiple weeks of little to no down time. I decided that something needs to change. I'm writing about this not as someone who knows how to REST, but as someone on the journey who is trying to make a change.

The most important things in my life: time with Jeff, time with our beautiful family, time with our amazing friends, being plugged in to our church, cooking dinner, reading books, dreaming about baby. The least important things in my life: making lots of money, entertaining people for entertainment's sake, running around with a false sense of urgency. It's funny how easily my pace doesn't suggest that the most important things in my life really are.

Today is a change in the right direction - not because lunch at the Olive Garden is awesome or now my toes look good, but because I'm recognizing that if I stop, the world doesn't. It's good to recognize that you're really not that important in a way. How's that for honesty? It's good to recognize that just because I'm taking a break doesn't mean things will fall apart. It's good to recognize that the Creator of heaven and earth even took a break and who the heck am I to think I don't need one?

I want to model for our children that the most important thing in life is to be fully present. Today, I'm trying to make that change.

(photo by Melissa Hanley - www.melissahanleyphotography.com)