Sunday, July 26, 2015

Rest - Genesis 2:3...


Feeling overwhelmed isn't always a side effect from a bad experience.
I can feel overwhelmed by good exhaustion too. 
Ask any new mother after a nine month pregnancy and a long and physically demanding labour whether she is relaxed or overwhelmed. Holding a precious new life in her arms she is truly overwhelmed, but in the most miraculous and beautiful of ways.
Overwhelmed is better described as a time when we've hit the wall, when we've done or experienced as much as we can handle and our minds, bodies or emotions have arrived at the entrance gate to the Exhaustion Recovery Spa.
But how often do we open that gate and collapse inside for essential time out, rest, refreshment and recovery? Not often enough I imagine.

Last Sunday I was wonderfully exhausted, overwhelmed and emotional after a 14 year reconciliation and a week of intense bonding with a daughter. Over that same week I'd also juggled my business and the needed routine of normal home duties and relationships and I was managing very well you see because I've always run naturally on an overload of adrenaline, so each new day was greeted with gusto and delight and unbounded energy until my beautiful girl and her wee one hugged us goodbye and flew south to their own home.

That's when I realised all my get up and go had got up and gone.
I quite simply fell in a heap on the bed and could not move because there was no adrenaline left in my tank. 

It takes me a while to regain momentum after an extended emotional and/or physical experience and my dear husband knows it well, so taking control he sat me in the Jeep last Sunday morn and drove us north to Toolakea Beach where we walked, sat, dreamed, and rested.
There were only a handful of others along the vast expanse of ocean meeting shore, the breeze was cool, and the air silent...





Rest is a non-negotiable requirement for all our lives - body, mind and spirit. 

Father God made that abundantly clear when He himself sat back on the seventh day and rested, surveying His handiwork and declaring it good.

There's no medal to be awarded if we plough on and on week after week without rest, but there is the loss of refreshment and reflection and recovery. Don't you think it sad when too often we rob ourselves of such a heavenly gift?



The Lord looked over His creation as He rested and that's why Mr E and I choose to spend every Sunday morning in nature, drinking in the beauty, the majesty, the wonder of it all...



...and as the hours pass while we ponder this gift before us, exhaustion lifts and drifts away, and peace is restored.
Just as He promised.

So whether you've had a week of trial or joy, trust Him and make your seventh day of rest a new priority.
After all, Father knows best and His best for us is always within reach.

bless you,


Download the printable Scripture card here.

8 comments:

Linda Lee said...

Thank you Jenny for sharing your heart with your beautiful words and pictures. Praise the Lord for your relationship with your daughter. God is Good.

Annette said...

Hello Jenny,
loved seeing photos of you will your daughter & grandaughter, so happy for your reconciliation.
You've hit the nail on the head regarding exhaustion & feeling overwhelmed! My darling 34yo daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer in late April, it's been a whirlwind of tests & medical appointments culminating with a double masectomy on 1st July, I return home each night often in tears from feeling overwhelmed but very grateful that her cancer has not spread into her body, I'm also very lucky to be able to help with the school & kinder routine of a 6 & 4yo, washing etc at her home as her wonderful husband has his own small mechanical workshop and time off is very limited. Next step is chemo starting in 3 weeks....another hurdle for her! Tomorrow I return to my part time job between school/kinder hours and continue the countdown to my retirement in 10 months.....who's counting! Take care Jenny xx

Anonymous said...

What a lovely Sunday that sounds. Thank you for this. It goes right along with what I was thinking this week.

Baa. xxx said...

Beautiful photos! The beach is always relaxing - wonderful!

Brenda said...

What a wonderful way to unwind and rest! It is easy to keep pushing ourselves, but at some point we do have to stop and rest and recoup. I have always loved reading and learning messages that are in the Bible. Yet, even for messages that are plain as day, "he rested on the 7th" we have the tendency not to pay attention. Thank you for sharing a very important message. Have a wonderful day!

TerriSue said...

I try quite hard to keep Sunday as a day of rest. I will not do any chores beyond those that are necessary. I find if I do than the old saying...A woman's work is never done, will catch up with me and I will begin to feel resentful of Jim having two days off a week while I never have a day off. For years we have been taking it one step further. We will not shop or go out to eat or out for payed entertainment on Sundays either. Most of the time Jim does not have to work on Sundays. Sometimes he does though and will have to miss church because of it. We decided when our children were small that we would keep the Sabbath. We also decided we would not do anything that would prevent others from being able to keep the Sabbath. Now realistically I know that my boycotting buying on Sundays isn't going to make much of a difference, yet I do feel better that I am not having someone else working for ME on a day that is supposed to be a day of rest. I don't feel like I could enjoy myself if I did. You keep taking your walks with Mr. E sweet Jenny. With all the pans you have in the fire you certainly deserve them.

Bev said...

Thank you for sharing a message at a God appointed time for me. I found your blog a couple of weeks ago and look forward every day to both your Biblical wisdoms and your beautiful handcraft. I am in a difficult season where there is little time for any sorts of craft but your work has spurred me to find pockets of time for handwork - I call it my sanity valve - and today you spurred me to take time out for rest too. A walk in the bush on the farm has worked wonders.I too run on adrenaline - enough said. The tears flowed when I read of your reconciliation with your daughter. I have only one daughter and although she only lives 2 hours travel away and we message one another frequently I miss her dreadfully. Thank you for your blog and all that you put into it to share with your readers. It is a place of rest for me. Bev

Brenda T said...

Thank you Jenny for the wonderful post. I feel truly at peace just looking at your beautiful pictures !! Thank you for that.