I am tired today.  When I looked back over my calendar, I’m a bit aghast at all I’ve been doing.  For two solid weeks, I was doing too much – every single day.  Most days in and of themselves were fairly manageable, but fourteen consecutive days of doing too much have wreaked a bit of havoc with my adrenals.  I need some rest and restoration.

I know I am not alone in this.  Millions of us are working too hard and sleeping too little.  Millions of us are trying to do more than is easily accomplished.  Millions of us are working, plus taking care of a family, plus maintaining and cleaning a home, plus making meals, plus any number of other time-consuming tasks.  This “being tired” thing is endemic in our culture.

Whatever happened to a Day of Rest?  Those of us of the Christian or Jewish persuasion used to honor the Sabbath.  We used to figure if the Creator could rest after six days of major creative work, we should to.  But somehow we have let that concept fall by the wayside.  I wonder why.  Do we think we are more capable than God of working without a break?  Do we believe ourselves to be superhuman?

I think we have forgotten the art of saying no.  We are taking our kids to soccer games on Sundays.  We are going to parties and picnics and barbecues on Sundays.  We are working through the weekend because our boss asked us to.  We are doing our shopping and our cleaning on Sundays because we can’t seem to find the time to do it during the rest of the week.  But even those of us who are not religious are surely allowed to have a real day off once a week.  It doesn’t have to be on a Saturday or Sunday, any day would do!

A whole day off.  Now that sounds like a holy concept to me.  A day in which we can stop working, stop doing, stop running around, stop using gas, just plain stop, period.  Mothers, too!  Too often in the past, families would go to church or synagogue then everyone would mosey home to rest.  Except, of course, the poor woman of the household.  She would be expected to spend hours in the kitchen preparing a pot roast complete with mashed potatoes, vegetables, and dessert!  Where was her day off?!!  EVERYONE needs a day off.

A day of rest helps restore us physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally.  We cannot function well if we are drained.  We cannot make good decisions if we are exhausted.  We have trouble being kind if we are overworked.

Let’s allow ourselves a Day of Rest.  Every week.  It’s not just holy, it’s smart.