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Do you plan to rest or are you restless? 休む時間ちゃんと取ってる？それか休み不足になりがち？
It’s summer vacation here in Sapporo now! Some people are still working as usual. But if you can rest, take the rest. Recharge. Rest is important. Are you resting, like really resting?
I love the phrase, “Work hard, play hard.” I like to make sure my On and Off mode for work is clear. With seven days in a week, I like to take at least one rest day off. Or when that’s difficult for whatever reason, I take half day off here, half day off there. During that time, I make sure to do something that really helps me rest.
Some examples to rest are: Go for a drive, visit the beach, swim, do sports, watch a movie, get a massage or spa, read a book, etc… Everyone’s different, what works for you? It might change over the years, so don’t stop trying to find what works for you to really recharge and rest.
Some people think, ‘I don’t need to rest! I can work every day!’ I understand, because I love working, I can do it every day!
Or maybe you think, ‘I want to make more money, or I have to make more money!’ So you have to work double time or over time. But please realize, that cannot last forever. It will eventually affect your health, or your relationships.
Even God, mighty God, who has all the power in his hands to create this whole universe, even he rested. He didn’t need to rest, but he rested to celebrate, to take a step back and enjoy all of his hard work. We need that time to enjoy life, too!
For 6 days, God worked to make the world, the mountains, the animals, and us humans too. Then he rested on the 7th day. And he encourages us to do the same.
That’s why many Christian’s choose not to work on Sundays, and they go to church. Because even God did that too. It doesn’t always have to be Sunday, at least one day a week is good to rest and spend time with God or friends and family. I volunteer a lot on Sundays at church, so I like to take Monday as another rest day off. I try not to plan any jobs or meetings. I have to consciously plan it out in my calendar, ‘this day is rest day!’ And I use a rest stamp to mark it clearly, it’s the kanji for YASUMI.
Do you plan your rest each week, or do you only rest in the time that’s left over after everything else gets done?
Are you resting, or are you restless? 休む時間ちゃんと取ってる？それか休み不足になりがち？
Restless… 休みが足りない
As a working mom, there’s always something to get done, my work is never finished! So I could work seven days a week if I wanted to. But I know if I don’t plan my rest, I get tired easily, or frustrated easily.
I can’t give my kids or my husband or even my work the best version of me, because I’m exhausted either physically or mentally.
I’ll finish with this family story I heard of recently. It’s about a busy working father and his son. The father worked so hard that he couldn’t play with his son at home.
“Sorry, papa’s busy. Sorry, papa’s working again today. Sorry, not now.”
When the little boy saw other families’ papas play with their kids, he felt lonely and sad. One day the son finally asked his father this question.
“Hey dad, How much do you get paid for one hour at work?”
The dad thought, that’s a strange question. But he answered, the usual hourly wages.
The son went back to his room and got his piggy bank. He started counting all of his 10 yen 50 yen and 100 yen coins. He got all of his savings together and brought it back to his dad. The little boy said, “Papa, here’s one hour of your work pay. I’ll pay you! So can you play with me for one hour now?”
The father was speechless.
At that moment the father realized what was more important with his time. Of course, work is important, but time to rest with his son is also very important.
Maybe you’re okay working all the time, but make time for rest and fun too. Make time with your family, with your friends, make time to rest with God, too! And your life with be much richer than you think. With things money can’t buy. With memories, and laughs, and peace. Money doesn’t last forever, but memories made in rest and together with loved ones lasts forever.
Let’s rest this summer vacation!
Rest is healing for your body soul and mind! I hope this podcast is a rest for you too.
How do you rest? I’d love to hear from you! Send a message through our Google form, feel free to use a nickname too. I’d love to hear any requests for topics or even questions about faith, healing, christianity, anything! I’m here, ask Isis!