Tuesday, September 15, 2009

She Leads me Beside Still Waters


Monday is my sabbath day and again, I was reminded yesterday of what a gift this particular commandment is. I woke up full of work-related thoughts and tried as hard as I could to set them aside. Got moving and went to my retreat at Rolling Ridge. I go there once a month for a pastors day away.
I was the only retreatant, but no matter. The host still lead a session on prayer of the heart and it awakened something heart-felt in me. I sat in the sun for an hour trying to pray right - not with my head or with a list, but to sense God's presence. Then took my walk, which always includes a visit to a little waterfall. This water restores my soul. Ate a simple meal. Talked about dreams. Came home full of energy for cleaning and being creative (Monday is also my pottery day, and that's restorative as well). And I woke up this morning with the same to-do-list in my head, but it felt much much more manageable.

The song in my head re: sabbath is the 23rd psalm by Bobby McFerrin. (This is a YouTube link - couldn't find a good listen anywhere else.) The Vintage Sacramental Winers sang it at my ordination. This song puts me in a sabbath place.

I harp on the Sabbath; I mention it all the time. I know so many in my congregation who don't have the time for re-creation. Work, family, pressures all around keep them hopping. But the wisdom of taking a whole day to re-create is undeniable. And it's commanded. And it works.

4 comments:

  1. Thanks Pastor Sarah for the reminder!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've been "following" you for a while now. I'm a seminarian up at Gettysburg and stumbled upon your blog sometime last year. I want you to know: it speaks directly to my soul. Your words call me out when I need it and they resonate with my loves and passions as well.

    ...all this to say: Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Cool post. Thanks for reminding us all that God commanded a Sabbath for reason, and that we all need to take one.

    ReplyDelete
  4. HI Jess - glad that you stumbled on it - thanks for the kind words. If you are ever in the DC area, let me know. Hope your soul is well on this lovely day - peace,

    ReplyDelete

Ten for Ten. Ten reasons it's great to be a pastor, in celebration of my 10 year anniversary of ordination.

I'm in there somewhere. I was ordained at Luther Place Memorial Church in Washington DC on November 10, 2007, ten years ago today. ...