It's Tuesday at 2:00pm! (PST Time: I live and work from Southern California)
Greetings to you!
Each week I send out a short leadership blog that's called "Tuesday at 2:00pm". The purpose of this is simply to provide a brief thought on leadership that you can read and think about in just a few minutes. I send it out every week at 2:00pm (PST) and encourage you to make an appointment with yourself to pause and think about the thing I'm writing about.
Russ...
LEADERSHIP QUOTE:
"Sabbath is not simply the pause that refreshes. It is the pause that transforms." Walter Brueggemann
What does this stir up? Either write me HERE or comment at the end of the blog post HERE.
A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:
I want to spend a few weeks this month just talking about REST. Some of these things I'm exploring, thinking about and working to implement in my life.
In reading Ruth Haley Bartons book, "Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest", I was challenged to spend some time thinking about SABBATH.
This isn't a new, as I've thought about it and admired people who practice this regularly, it just hasn't fit in my normal life rhythm.
Barton shares this thought:
"Sabbath keeping is the primary discipline that helps us live within the limits of our humanity and to honor God as our Creator. It is the key to a life lived in sync with the rhythms that God himself built into our world."
The quote above from Brueggemann talks about "refreshment and transformation".
Let me tell you about my Sabbath experiment this past week. I had a completely unscheduled day show up in my calendar. Gina had plans with friends, and while I had a list of things I needed to get done, I decided to "take the morning" and get outside for a while. The goal wasn't "Sabbath", it was simply a long walk!
I drove to Dana Point, charted out a long walk, and took off. The walk led me through town, to the top of a hill overlooking the ocean, then down to the beach. Along the way I stopped for a sandwich at one of my favorite spots.
I began the walk listening to a couple of news podcasts, and somewhere along the way I switched to a classic worship album from one of my favorite groups, Third Day.
Here's what happened on that walk.... I slowed down.
What began as a power walk turned into a replenishing journey that included about 45 minutes on a bench looking at the waves.
Here's the thing.... I had been thinking about SABBATH since last week, and I didn't know I would get to experience a little bit of it.
I can't tell you that some deep truth emerged or even some deep thoughts. What did happen was I got outside, experienced some of God's beauty, slowed down, and really enjoyed the solo time.
I got home 3 1/2 hours later, I decided to just take the rest of the day... it was so good. I had a short nap, I watched some golf, I read a book, and when Gina got home that evening I was feeling pretty good. What a gift of a day.
Rest - Space - Beauty - Solitude - Surprise - Replenishment - Time
When was the last time you experienced a little bit of Sabbath?
DEEPER STILL:
Here's the deal: I'm not a Sabbath "expert". I know people who have practiced this and mastered it for years, and while I've paid attention to it, my response has always been, "I don't have time for that", so instead of exploring it, I've mostly ignored it.
I do have a rhythm of some solitude, of getting outside for a walk, of leaning into what God is teaching me, and to finding rest when I can. Basically when these things fit my schedule, I embrace them fully. When they don't, I ignore them.
There is a rule of Sabbath that is tied directly to God's commandment to "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" Exodus 20:8. God understood our need for this, so he modeled this for us then told us to do it!
What might this look like to integrate this into my life, or some aspect of it?
Here are some thoughts:
Start with WHY. Simon Sinek says that our "why" always dictates our "what". Why is this important? Why did God instruct me to do this?
Define the WHAT. What does Sabbath look like for me? What practices or elements do I want to integrate into my life on a regular basis.
START and learn & adapt along the way. It's not going to be perfect every time, but I can learn as I go.
I need to PLAN & PROTECT this time. It won't be easy because there are always GOOD things that come along. How do I communicate the importance of this to others without sounding selfish?
I don't know if this resonates with you in any way, but as I continue to explore the idea of REST, Sabbath keeps coming up.
This week, answer this question: What might Sabbath look like for me in this season of life? Then, what should I do about that?
Things I'm Reading, Listening To and Watching This Week:
Ruth Haley Barton, Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest
Gina and I finished watching the second season of The Pitt this past week. We really enjoyed this crazy emergency room drama! Really good characters and story!
Simon Sineks Start With Why. Really good framework on purpose!
I really enjoyed listening to Amy Poehlers podcast, Good Hang, and her interview with Steve Carell. Just lot's of laughter and stories. This was a new podcast for me.
I'm a part of a Convene Forum Group, and we met this past week. Great relationships, issue processing, teaching and training, and just sharing life! Check out Convene to find your team!