March 21

For today's Forward Day by Day reading, Click Here.

I look forward to whipping out my Rest tool for the next 11 days. Spring Break has officially begun. I just put my "out of office" button on and my message says something to the effect of "don't bug me until next week." I am checkin out, baby. Check. In. Out. Going to use a little Rest and his friend, Relaxation.

It's so easy and exhausting to get used to the rigors of every day routine. I'm not sure about you, but I find myself in go-go-go mood (Burro! Burro! Burro! in Farsi, I believe) every day of the week...and on most Saturdays and Sundays depending on the schedule. Rest is a welcome respite from this fast moving train. However, it can be mistaken for its evil twin Snooze or Doze, which make way for the evilist of doo-dads...Sloth and Slug. Rest, however, is one a-ok mama jamma.

Rest works because it yields Peace. Rest is falling into peace and relishing in the assurance that God has got it all covered, and you don't need to worry one more minute about anything. Rest helps your mind from bouncing around. Look, I'm doing it now because my mind has wandered to this news:

A good friend just told me she's having another baby. Lord, this gal is doing the 40-year-old thing and now a baby. Wowzers. She's excited, and after joking her about having to hang up her dancing on the bar table shoes, I shared in her anticipation and elation. Babies are a pain, but nothing beats that freshess, the snuggly warmth and their pure joy. And the sleep a LOT when they're little. And that means rest for mama.

Psalm 131:" ³  But I still my soul and make it quiet, like a child upon its mother's breast; *
my soul is quieted within me."

Got Rest? Happy Spring Break!