A quiet day!

I threw on some comfy clothes, turned off my phone, queued up several of my favorite Christmas movies, and grabbed my snacks and cocoa.

I had just come through weeks of non-stop activities, people, and get-togethers.  While I enjoyed every minute of it in the moment, I could feel my soul tugging for a quiet space as the stream of busy days unfolded.

Time to just be alone.  Time to stare out the window, watch a good movie, or just sit in my rocking chair and give myself space to think.

Time to recharge, refill, and refresh.

We all need those, don’t we? Even if we don’t like to admit it!

The weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas can be some of the busiest of the year.  We book parties, attend recitals and school plays, run ourselves ragged with last-minute shopping, and divide our precious “off time” between a variety of extended family and friends only to find that at the end of each day we fall into bed exhausted.

Stretched beyond our healthy margins, we try to do it all.  The unfortunate truth is that this stretching, trying, running, and doing will eventually catch up with us and we’ll find our internal tanks drained dry and our souls running on fumes.

We all need quiet space.

This well-known, ancient truth is even written about in the Bible.

Jesus and His disciples were neck-deep in a season of ministry in which the word “busy” doesn’t even come close to defining.  Mobs of people were following Him as He made His way through the region healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and teaching the masses.

Yet, during one of the most hectic times of this intensely demanding season, Jesus looked at His disciples and said this incredible statement, “Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest for a while.” (Mark 6:31)

The most highly sought after man on the planet at that time clearly understood the need for quiet.

The need to push pause, rest, and be refreshed.

What does that look like for you?  Perhaps, it’s an hour soaking in a bubble bath.  Maybe, it’s having someone else watch the kids so you can just take a drive and listen to your favorite music. 

Regardless of what it uniquely looks like for you, I urge you to carve out the quiet space that your heart and mind so desperately need right now.

Refill your tank.  Refresh your soul.  Rest for a while.

Until next time, Grace and Glory!