A Bit of a Breather

My husband is delighted that he is able to stay home from work tomorrow morning.  He has been released from having to accompany the Bishop on his travels during the day.  Rather than racing off to a church service somewhere we are going to sleep in and then try to catch up with our lives for part of the day.  While I am at choir practise tomorrow afternoon my husband will walk over to the office and catch his ride to Moose Jaw to the office staff retreat, arriving home some time the following evening.

I am so grateful that he has a full 24 hours off work this weekend, since he is losing his Monday off again this week. Unfortunately that 24 hours goes from mid afternoon to mid afternoon, so he doesn't have a full day of not working at all, but this is better than nothing.  Tonight he watched a football game and the tv coverage of Hurricane Irma before heading off to bed at 9pm. The Finance Committee meeting today ended at about 3pm and he was able to come home right afterward.

One of the items he is bringing forward at the staff retreat is a plan to better release the Bishop into a proper Sabbath rest period each week.  While it is not only the Bishop who is suffering from overwork right now, he is likely working the most overtime and feeling the most tired of all the staff at this terribly busy time of year.  

Living an example of proper Sabbath rest is important as leaders in the diocese.  All the full time staff have been "fudging" on their time off and if my husband and I have learned anything at all about spiritual principles, the principle of Sabbath rest is one of the most important to keep life and ministry running smoothly and blessedly. To ignore it, to flaunt it, is to ask for real trouble with health and with stress in ministry.  God himself took time off after a long period of creation, so......c'mon guys, read your Bibles and get with the programme!  Unfortunately resting, particularly in our go-go-go society is more difficult to practise than it should be.

So, I am praying for my husband that God will show him the best way to bring up the topic of discussion and that the hearts of the other staff will be willing to consider making the drastic changes necessary to incorporate true Sabbath rest in their lives.