Thought for Today: Taking Time for Yourself

By the end of this summer I was starting to feel a little guilty for sitting on the beach yet another time. My kids and I loved every second of relaxing by the water reading, playing in the sand, swimming, strolling along the shore looking for sea glass, snacking on Cheetos our favorite beachy snack. But we weren't really doing anything, maybe this time at the beach was just too much sitting around? Then September HIT! Our homeschooling kicked off. Soccer kicked off. Homeschool co-ops kicked off. Dance kicked off. Music lessons kicked off. My roles as teacher and leader kicked off. Swimming kicked off. Our mid-week activities at church kicked off. OK! We weren't just vegging at the beach. We were recharging. As a mother of three I was restoring and healing the frayed edges of my own inner self. God was restoring my soul through the ebb and flow of the tide. I needed to gaze at beauty, feel the sand in my toes, swim in the cold refreshing water, and see my kids unwind while I did the same. 

We all need time to become new again. You can run fast for a time, maybe even a long time, but there will come a point when exhaustion will hit. Everything we need to do will still be there. The dishes aren't going anywhere. Don't worry, the toys won't mind waiting a little longer to be picked up. The laundry will patiently sit right where you left it.

It's ok to take time to rest. We were created to work and do and care for others and celebrate life but we can't do the work well or enjoy the things we love most if we never take time to breathe. When life gets crazy and tiring for me I feel so much better if I take a couple of hours to relax. After that, I can find the energy I need to tackle the next thing on my list. Life is better with breaks!

What does taking a break look like for you? Post a few ideas to encourage others!