Taking Time Out to Rest and Play in Your Busy, Hectic, Just-Get-It-All-Done Schedule by Beth Jones As I ve shared with you on this week s blog, I am in Florida now, babysitting my friends three kids while their parents are in China, picking up their newly adopted, specialneeds Chinese baby girl. http://www.bethjones.net/god-is-big-enough/ We ve had a busy week, running back and forth to the church for Nathaniel to attend the Christmas musical play rehearsals, going to church on Wednesday and Sunday night, seeing the Christmas play on Sunday night, buying groceries, picking up their grandmother Joan from the airport for her stay with them for the next month, and going to the homeschool co-op Christmas party today! One evening it had been a particularly long day from all the running around, and the nonstop rain and cold wind was getting to me. I had left Kansas City to come to sunny Florida, and now this weather! I prayed to God to please send some sunshine, and went to bed that night exhausted. The next day God answered my prayers and the sun came out. It was 70 beautiful degrees, so we packed lunches, chairs, balls, and a big blanket, and headed out to the beach for half the day. My parents used to take me to the beach during the summer for family vacations, and I have always loved the ocean. I haven t been to the beach in several years. All I could do was thank God for His goodness to me, as I stood there, watching the ocean waves, smelling the salt air, and feeling the sunshine on my face. Happiness and
peace filled my heart. I breathed a deep, contented sigh. This day of play was just what I needed to restore my soul. It s important for us to take time out of our busy, hectic schedules to play and rest. After God created the heavens, the earth, and all within them, He set aside a Sabbath day to rest, and He commanded His people to rest one day a week too. By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing so on the seventh day He rested from all His work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done. (Genesis 2:2, NIV) Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest. (Exodus 34:21, NIV) Benefits of rest and play For optimal health, human beings need rest and play. Play boosts our optimism and immune system, increases our happiness, and gives us a sense of belonging and community. According to Dr. Stuart Brown, the head of the National Institute of Play (http:// www.nifplay.org/) - yes, it s a real institute - while we think the opposite of play is work, it s actually depression. ( http://artofmanliness.com/2009/06/23/30-days-to-a-betterman-day-24-play/) Here are a few of the benefits of relaxation (http://heartofhealing.net/relaxationwellness/benefits-of-relaxation/) The heart rests through a slower rate Lower blood pressure Slows your breathing rate, reducing your need for oxygen increases blood flow to the muscles decreases muscle tension Relaxation results in the following: enhanced immunity better sleep
increased concentration better problem-solving abilities greater efficiency smoother emotions less anger, crying, anxiety, frustration less headaches and pain. Best of all, playing and relaxing is just plain fun! It makes us nicer people, too! Tips for Rest and Play Here are some suggestions for rest and play, to rejuvenate you as you take a break from your busy, daily schedule: Go to the beach, the mountains, a lake or river, the desert, just someplace new. Take your family to Disney World, the Grand Canyon, the Statue of Liberty, Sea World (swim with the dolphins). There is a whole new world of adventure open to you here in your own backyard! Spend the night at a local or far-away Bed and Breakfast. Sleep in under their comfortable quilts, take a walk, watch the birds and admire nature, eat at a momand-pop café, journal and pray. Go to International House of Prayer or another prayer retreat center, and just soak up God s presence, praying and worshipping God. Stay in bed in your pajamas all day, and read a good book, or several. No makeup. No phone calls, tv, or internet. Take a tech fast. Go to the library, and read magazines or research your family tree. Use that Starbucks coffee gift card. Have a seat, and savor the aroma. Take long sips of that creamy latte. Relish the moment. Go on a picnic with your family. Pack all the goodies your family loves. Bring the Frisbee, volleyball, camcorder, camera or Iphone. Make fun memories. Go out to an ethnic restaurant or good movie with your husband or wife. Hold hands, snuggle, giggle like you did when you dated. Shop with a girlfriend. Do lunch at your favorite place. Sit outside on your deck and watch the red cardinals and squirrels. Enjoy doing nothing. Fight the urge to get up and finish laundry or other to-do-today items. Remember, you need to rest to be even more productive and successful. Balance is the key.
Try something new scuba diving, hiking, biking, a marathon, skating, water skiing, scrapbooking, a gourmet cooking class, a college course in Spanish, French or Russian, quilting, a computer class at the local community college, a new recipe, giving up sugar, zumba aerobics, painting, etc. Make a vision board for your life. Tear out pictures from magazines that reflect your goals and dreams, and glue them to a poster board. Record your life story on a video, and make copies for all your children. Include your testimony of salvation, to pass the torch of faith to the next generation. Rent funny movies and have a funny movie marathon day with your kids. Make snow angels when it snows. Bake cookies for the holidays, wrap them in plastic wrap and tie with pretty ribbons. Take them to nursing homes and hospitals as holiday gifts to bless people. Loving others is the best form of rest for your soul. Watch and feed the ducks at the park. It seems so simple, but it s extremely relaxing and fun. Go to a zoo that you ve never gone to before. Make a road trip to the grandparents house at a time that isn t the holidays. Begin collecting sea shells, feathers, different types of stones. Press wildflowers. Make Christmas wreaths of pinecones, berries and other natural materials. Take a day to just dream. Nothing else. Write your dreams down. Let your imagination go wild. Take off all restraints and limits to your thinking. What would you do if there were no limitations in money, time, education, human ability, etc? What would you do? Dare to dream! Begin the sentence, I wish and then finish it! Listen to your heart s desires, those dreams in your heart. They matter very much. And God probably put them there, so He wants them accomplished! Plan nothing for an entire day. Then do it. Scarlett O Hara s wise advice Have you ever noticed how happy children are? It s because they play! They aren t stressing out about paying the electric bill or finishing the last item on their to-do list. They take one moment at a time. Anything is fodder for a laugh their kitten, their friend s facial expression or voice tone, having the hiccups. They have such great peace and joy. They don t worry about things. They trust and have faith and hope. As Jesus said, Of such is the kingdom of God. They know that what-
ever needs to be done, it will get done. And if it doesn t, then it wasn t that important, anyway! As Scarlett O Hara said, After all, tomorrow is another day! The work will still be there tomorrow. Just focus on having fun today resting and playing! Hard work is a valuable and necessary thing. But our bodies, minds and souls need rest and play for us to be even more productive, successful, healthy and happy. Take time out of your hectic, busy schedule today for a Sabbath to relax and just have fun! You and others will be so glad you did! Copyright 2009 Beth Jones Beth Jones Tablet Of My Heart www.bethjones.net elizabethdjones@gmail.com