Yesterday was really great! Kind of a feast and a fast. Leslie's parents are in town and she and her mom spent all day preparing a great meal for the family, the extended family, the mostly family, and the might-as-well-be family. Though not everyone in the immediate family could be there, it was a crowded table that couldn't have been better (unless it was even more crowded).
Yesterday, I tried something unusual (for me) that I really liked, and I'm going to do again! Let's call it an e-sabbath. I shut off the BlackBerry, the email, and the internet. Though I have plenty of work to do, I had already decided not to do any of it yesterday, so it was a day off for me (though Leslie and her mom certainly put in a full day's work). But I think there's something to the whole electronic disconnection thing that made a day off seem a whole lot more like a sabbath.
I've taken days off before, but I've never been truly unhooked from all the things I am involved in because of that electronic tether. My BlackBerry can be an unfathomable annoyance if I allow it unfettered access to my life. Same with the computer. Email and internet connectivity always puts me back in work-mode, if only for a minute, and threatens the flow of peace that is the whole reason we take a day off to begin with.
So, for me, it worked. I plan on doing it regularly. If I didn't tweet, or blog, or catch your email and it really bugged you, then you should probably consider taking an e-sabbath yourself. Very soon. On the other hand, if you told your computer and cell phone to take a short walk off a tall building, then good for you! "Viva la revolucion!" (From a practical standpoint, the phone itself was on to receive emergency calls).
So it was a day of feasting and fasting and I thoroughly enjoyed it. But it's back to work today. Black Friday for me is not a shopping day, it's a day filled with the knowledge that deadlines are looming - so I will be here working. You know, now that I think about it, a two-day e-sabbath might not be such a bad idea. Hmm...
Sound off: What did you embrace yesterday? What did you give up? Why?
I had an awesome day filled with family, friends, and food. A LOT of food! I had an interesting evening though. Got a chance to minister to two people that are searching for a better life. We all have pasts...pasts from which we are not proud of. I had something in my past that I had been very ashamed of and thought I would never speak to anyone. Well, one of the persons had the same thing in her life. She felt as though God couldnt forgive her for it. I was able to not only relate to all the emotions she was going through, but was able to tell her that God DOES forgive. And that if she had asked for forgiveness already, that she didnt have to continue to ask...that God had already forgiven and forgotten. It was getting her to realize that she needed to forgive herself. What a break through it was for her. God is so awesome...He is so much bigger than our circumstances. I never would of thought that I would be able to use this shameful thing in my life to help someone else through it. Glory be to God!
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WOW, I have been reading your blog comments and this "HM" person really seems to be someone I would like. Is she married??? Just kidding, Love you Hollie. HM, if you would have never thought that GOD would use your shameful things, think again. You are a strong, faithful women, who loves the Lord. Expect more of this in the future. Hey around DEC 16th at 1002am you want to go on a date?? WEEEEEEE!
ReplyDeleteHey! Get a room, huh? :)
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