So I’ll admit, I haven’t been heeding my own suggestions to you regarding taking a Sabbath. Sometimes the thought of taking a Sabbath makes me feel whiny. Almost spoiled. I mean why should I get to rest when other people are working two or three jobs to pay the bills? What about those emails in my inbox that have piled up? What about those nice people that invited us to dinner Friday night and the Pampered Chef party invitations that seem to frustratingly appear throughout the month? (sorry) Do I sound whiny yet? I’ll continue: What about the blog at Experience Worship that I want to be more consistent with? What about planning opportunities to connect Experience Worship to worshipers all around the country to talk about living a life of worship? What about _____? You fill in the blank. If it’s not one thing it’s another. And, it seems every opportunity is something we either enjoy or don’t mind doing. So why not try and do it all? Need me to play on that session? I’ll be there. Need me to drive across town to sing that song? I’ll be there. After-all I’m using my gift right? Let’s add another rehearsal Saturday and one next Tuesday night and why not squeeze dinner in Saturday evening with the Templetons. They are such nice people. We can rest when we’re dead. So, maybe I’ve answered my own question. What keeps us from taking the necessary times of Sabbath? Clearly us and our stuff.

I recently read an article in the NY Times about a guy we’ll call Mr. Campbell, who works with computers specializing in creating internet start-ups and then selling them to other companies. Here’s a guy who spends his day in front of two computer screens alive with emails, instant messages, chats, a Web browser and the computer code he is writing. You could say he is addicted to technology which is quickly coming to a mind near you. He forgets dinner plans, has trouble focusing on his family and goes to sleep with his iPhone on his chest. One statement that jumped out at me was when his wife suggests that he is “not fully present with his family,” even when he is not using his gadgets. In fact, his typical breakfast includes watching a T.V. news screen in the corner of his computer screen while using the rest of the screen for checking his email. Talk about the need for a Sabbath!

Just so you know the effects technology has on us…since I’ve been writing this article, I’ve checked my email and twitter account three or four times.

If we are to give God all he deserves then finding times of rest and unplugging is important. It’s quiet obvious that I haven’t been a very good example so my suggestions to you are also being written for me. The choice is yours (ours). Take a hike in the woods and leave the iPod at home. Find a bench along the way and stop to reflect on God’s goodness. Within the next month, do something that used to be considered a hobby. Take a nap on a Sunday afternoon and turn the phone and T.V. to off. Here’s one; don’t check email, Twitter, Facebook or voice messages for 24 hours straight. Whatever you choose as your Sabbath, know that rest is not only important for your health and well-being but it will allow you to do everything as unto the Lord. He deserves it and so do you.

Here’s to us making rest become a habit.

Regi