Rest, Sabbath, Day Off, etc.

Friday is usually my day off from church. However, the church doesn't know that; I don't think I've ever told them. While I refrain from doing much church work on Fridays, when a church member calls, I answer. I want them to think that although I live two hours away, I'm still there for them when they call, even if I'm trying to take a day off. I say Friday's usually my day off because sometimes it's not. A pastor's schedule can be so erratic, that it can be hard to have a consistent day off. Things come up and have to happen on Fridays. Then, I try to switch to another day to rest, but not always successfully.

A mentor colleague recently shared with me something he'd read recently (I forget the book's name): we are made to work from rest, not rest from work. Humanity was made on the sixth day and on day seven, God rested and presumably all creation, too. We didn't start work til day eight. We rested before we worked. How different would it be if we really worked from rest? Refreshed from the weekend to begin work Monday (or Sunday for pastors) vs. tired from the week and ready for the weekend? Rested from a night's sleep vs. coming home from work ready to crash?

As a student and as a teacher, I took Sundays off from doing any kind of schoolwork. I tried not to even think about it (usually successfully). As a pastor, I'm having a lot more trouble.

Last Sunday was my first Sunday off, and it was great! Instead of sermon prep when I was in town, I visited five families! And instead of sermon writing when I was at home, I started packing to move in a few weeks. Then I spent a couple days at Duke's Convocation and Pastor's School and felt more refreshed spiritually and more exhausted physically. Now, I'm back to feeling stressed again and struggling with the self-discipline of taking a day off. If only I could figure out how to work from rest rather than rest from work... Maybe I need to find that book.