Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Just as grand

Waves crash along the shore.  senk 2013
"I never really realized before how stress seems to slip away by the sea." A paraphrase of my husband's comment rings in my head at the end of a long day. Joey and Ezra are finally in bed, Russell is wrapping up at work, and I have a few minutes before truly resting. 

Often, I consider the daily routines of homeschooling mommyhood and custodian of the home to be like the constant push of waves. But, despite the beating, waves also massage and comfort.

While at Virginia Beach in early August, Russell worked hard reviewing SOL-questions while the boys and I visited various historical and botanical hotspots in the area. Russell's true time to rest was while playing with the boys on the beach: building sand castles with Joey, acting like a sea otter with Ezra, hunting shells or tracking sand crabs with flashlights, savoring the slow slip of sun in the horizon as color splashed into the sky, and feeling waves crash upon his legs along the beach. It was wonderful to see the stress slip from his shoulders after a long day indoors, thinking.

Friend, do you often feel so battered by the day's events that it's hard to really relax? What helps you peel the burden back and feel at ease in your surroundings?

We often feel there is so much work to do, we don't have time for leisurely pursuits. But, if we don't enjoy the beautiful gifts God has placed in our paths, we'll soon be a source for bitterness and unkindness, rather than the hope He wants us to spread. So, be idle - even if for just a moment - and watch the sunset's glow, sip a warm sweet chai while crickets croon outdoors, or find that peacefulness that can restore the bit of you that's burdened.

Work is important, but so, too, is sharing in an inspiring moment that's just as grand with God.