Taking a Sabbath (written on friday night)
David and I have been conversing quite a bit lately about the ancient tradition of honoring the sabbath and what that really looks like in today’s day and age. Once upon a time it meant that if you bent over to pick something up you were pretty much screwed where the law was concerned! Now days, some of us have to work on Sundays whether we like it or not. But in looking at the idea of why God created the idea of the sabbath, it was really for our own good. It’s more than just going to church or honoring God for a day. It also serves an important purpose for us. Rest. Rest for body, soul and spirit.
I took this photo in Morocco 4 years ago. I remember rolling out of bed in the morning and being smacked in the face with this view, and thinking, “How in the world did I end up here? This is so beautiful how can it even be real life?” As I gaped at the exquisite beauty, it was like that mountain range created a channel from my soul to God’s heart. I’ve always cherished this image as it reminds me of that moment, but as I look at it more deeply I realize it’s also extremely symbolic for me. It represents everything I want my “view of life” to be….Peaceful. Serene. Breathtaking. Filled with wonder and gratitude.
Sometimes it seems like those are impossible ideals, or that moments of serentiy can only happen when you are on vacation in Africa. Yet imagine if you could get out of bed every morning and actually choose how you view the world? Looking out your proverbial window, what would you want to see? Pain? Sadness? Fear? Numbness? Why do we give away our life to these things? Why don’t we choose something different even though we’re only hurting ourselves?
So my question is, how do we choose each day to manifest our own reality? I say I love dogs, nature, reading, painting. But do I own a dog? Each day do I pick up my paint brush simply because I love it? Do I take the time to read a good book and relax? Though I live in an urban area do I make the effort to find nature and immerse myself within it? Do I do these things that refresh my spirit and make me come alive? Do I live with intention? And most importantly, do we truly understand that life is what we make of it, no matter what our circumstances are?
Considering these thoughts, it makes the idea of taking a sabbath seem extremely important. Necessary, actually for happiness. As I take an honest look at my work habits, each week do I truly have a day where I do no work AT ALL and only relax? For some of us, taking a sabbath is painful. It’s virtually impossible not to answer that one email, make that one phone call, or pop into your office just for an hour or two to write a quick blog or edit a session. Me = guilty as charged. As I continue on day after day without ever getting a clean break from the pressures of work, I feel myself wearing thin. I pray and ask God for strength, but then I hear his voice saying, “The reason you are so tired is because you don’t rest. And then you want me to pump you full of energy like a God sized dose of espresso. How am I supposed to re-fill your gas tank if you are driving circles round the pump at 60mph?”
So tomorrow I’m taking a sabbath. I’m going to completely unplug, push a large bureau in front of my office door and turn off the ringer of my phone. I worked really hard today to get caught up on phone calls, invoicing, emails, orders, etc so I won’t have that panicked feeling in the back of my brain.
So if on Saturday you happen to call me, email me, knock on my door, send me a telegram or a even a singing candygram for that matter, I WON’T ANSWER YOU. Because I’ll be too busy laying around, reading books, praying, taking a hot bath and going for a long walk out in nature. I guess the real challenge is can I stay off of twitter and avoid reading new emails on my phone because well, technically I’m not in my office. All things being equal I really don’t trust myself. I can pretty much guarantee that at the end of the day I’ll have to be all, “Father, forgive me for I have tweeted.”
Comments
Amy, I think it’s perfect that God dropped this in your heart to honor His sabbath on the day He created for you to rest (which, by the way, is actually on Saturday!). Have a wonderful, restful, and inspired day.
Amy,
I just have to tell you that I love your words. True and raw and real. I love it when I come across a person as real and you are. I know you have no idea who I am and you get so many folks commenting on your blog. I usually don’t bother folks, especially when I don’t know them but after reading your post for a couple of months now and always feeling compelled to comment I am doing it tonight. Straight from the French Quarter at 1:06am. It’s a shame that our lives and our world have become so busy that simply BEING becomes like a chore. Like hard work. You are an inspiration my dear and I thank you for your words! I’ve always been a raw writer. Mainly in private, but am trying to share some of it with the rest of world via my blog too. It’s been a nice journey.
(ps…my friend Arielle Langhorne attended one of your recent workshops. our daughters go to school together and I know she really enjoyed your workshop. keep up the wonderful and beautiful work that you do. God is watching you make the world a more beautiful place.)
oh yes yes yes yes YES amy. i agree with this 100% and it’s inspired me to “re-try” honouring the sabbath in my life. i’m kinda terrible at it. I kinda rest on sundays? kinda? but i should definitely try to NOT DO ANYTHING one day a week. that sounds incredible.
Amy, thank you for being such an inspiration. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for keeping the window open…
Love this post, Amy! I’ve read a lot about the Sabbath, and I’ve done a good job of observing it (for a week or two), then I go back to my crazy-working ways. I have a BIG week coming up. Everything in me screams that I can’t take a break, but I’m going to do it anyway. (eek)
Love your last sentence.
I completely agree with you on taking a sabbath. Actually, I recently heard a podcast with Rob Bell who spoke about its importance and it really opened my eyes. I definitely don’t, and the job that I have requires me to work weekends, which makes it even harder to set aside time for God. I remember my mom once told me that her grandma’s heart sunk when stores and businesses began opening their doors on Sundays. She saw the overwork and the less time with family that it turned into right when it started. I pray that you enjoy and find peace in this and other sabbath’s in the future!
DO NOT READ THIS TODAY! (Saturday, 10.17.09)
I just took a walk on the Kal-Haven trail here in South Haven. I was the only person I saw, and technically I can’t see myself, so I saw no one. The fall foilage evokes a profound sense of “all is right in the world,” and Walter was able to run endlessly.
All of this to say is I think you should come here tomorrow morning (early) for a walk with me. It’s the most nature-i-est thing you could possibly do on a beautiful Sunday, October morning. Okay? Okay.
XoXo,
Kelly
well put. we usually have sunday as our designated day off — no friends over, no phone calls, just hanging with the family and enjoying some peace, quiet and togetherness in our pjs. enjoy!
This is a beautiful post Amy, and a beautiful reminder that we need to step back and relish in God’s plan he has for our life. The Sabbath was created with his grand purpose in life, for us to rest and be re-charged. Our neighbor is a Hasidic Rabbi and as I am typing this comment, they are celebrating their Sabbath which began last night at sundown. I believe we all have something to learn as we REST. Enjoy!
You CAN take a Sabbath, it’s all in what you choose to get used to. I’ve never worked a drop on Sunday– If I can’t spend a day with my family, doing good, attending church to worship my God, studying the gospel, how can I expect Him to bless me? He will either way, He’s a loving God, but still– I need to give something back. Is one day too much to ask?
After a lifetime of honoring the sabbath, I would be lost without it. There would be no time to spiritually recharge so that I can face my week with my faith firmly grounded.
I love that you posted this at 12:26AM.
You go girl!
Enjoy your Sabbath rest, Amy!
Can you plzz try to be less cool?! I feel bad every time I visit your blog. I seriously think after months of reading your blog that you are one of the most cool women on earth!
It certainly is important to take a day of rest. God himself created the heavens and earth in 6 days and specifically created the 7th day just for rest. If he can take a day, so can we. We tend to get so busy with our lives that we forget to worship and spend time with our God. He created the Sabbath Day just for that purpose, imagine that, a whole day only for rest It is the fourth commandment after all “Remember the Sabbath (seventh day) day, to keep it Holy.” So, we do just that, from sun down Friday to sun down Saturday, we worship only Him, not TV, not shopping, or computer, only time with God and family. It really makes a difference in our lives!
What a refreshing blog post! Thanks for sharing. I have been a Saturday Sabbath Keeper my whole life, but it wasn’t till I was an adult that I truly understood that God gave this day for US!!! I often think, if the world honored the Sabbath, what a different world this would be. The command to keep the Sabbath is the only commandment that has the word Remember in it. So many people have forgotten the beauty and joy of Sabbath Rest. I hope you were blessed on Sabbath day!
Well said! I hope you enjoy your day of rest today!(hope you don’t read this till monday *wink*)
I just found your blog and I love your work! I am a SAHM of 3 and am just beginning my quest into a photography career. Your work is inspiring and amazing! I plan to visit often! God Bless!
Good for you!!!! You always need time to stop and smell the roses, live is so precious and the days never come back!!!! You are in my prayers
This is just what I needed…thank you for sharing. You’re awesome…and if we lived closer, I would want to be your friend.
Blessings to you…
Thank-you for the encouraging post!
I agree, keeping the Sabbath at the beginning is hard but it’s a lesson in trusting God……..trusting HIM that you can not work one day out of the week.
WOW!! I’ve been observing the sabbath on Saturday all my life, and I can’t wait for sundown Friday every week. God new exactly what he was doing. Our bodies aren’t designed keep going and going and going. It’s refreashing to read other’s feel the same way, thanks for sharing.
Sabbath(saturday) is my favorite day. I look forward to it every week; it’s the climax. I hope your Sabbath was restful, refreshing, and rejuvinating.
Thank you sooo much for sharing this post. You are such an inspiration, even though I don’t even know you. And the picture is breathtaking.
DO IT and good for you! (and thank you for inspiring me too!) GREAT POST.
Thank you so much for this reminder. Our family needs to do this more, to shut off completely and enjoy, take in and relax on a day.
i’m an associate of mary anne radmacher, the author of a larger piece of writing called “live with intention” and thought you might like to check it out further. i know mary anne is so happy when people find inspiration from her words in the context of their daily lives. for this piece and more work from mary anne’s hand visit her website maryanneradmacher.com. mary anne has written several books and shares her work in many forms including conferences and classes. If you’d like more information feel free to e-mail me at jessicaformaryanneradmacher@gmail.com. thanks!
Amy,
We haven’t heard from you in a while and I hope it’s just because you are busy. I am praying for you and your husband.
Christina
Love this. My husband and I take sabbath days (which are the same day every week - usually - and normally not on a Sunday). My husband, Jordan takes his on Wednesdays because it’s the best day for it for him because he is a caregiver and Sundays are usually spent busy and running around spending time with family and such. I think a sabbath is more important in this day and age because we busy ourselves with so much technology, social networking, obligations that weigh on us. Taking a sabbath is trusting God that all the things we think we need to get done can wait one day and be left untouched. We need more now than ever to take the time to actually sit at our Father’s feet and truly rest and give up what we hang onto so tightly to Him. This is a good reminder for me that I need to buckle down and do better at taking a sabbath day each week and really REST! Love your blog.
So I’ve never spoken to you before, or found my way here before, but this is probably my favourite blog post in the world. Love your thoughts, LOVE your thoughts. They resonate well indeed. And that view is absolutely extraordinary, I don’t care if it’s only ever on my computer screen. Amazing!
I just started reading your blog. I found you through your husband’s blog. I just today was thinking about how super crazy my life has become and that I needed to find a way to practice Sabbath. Thank you
PS - do you belong to a faith community?
No, I was just wondering if you all had a faith community journeying with you through this season that’s all.
Much peace and grace to you.
I also wear a coat in the winter of my life; I’m thinking we should should pretend it’s warm and our minds will melt…seems I just connected with your “warmth” and your faith and your creative eye and tongue…and I am praying for your David…peace
This is exactly what I deal with each and every day. Balance between the social worker in me and the photographer emerging. I ask myself if I am shooting for my enjoyment is it “work” as distinguished from being paid to create a portrait. Thanks!
Check out this free booklet on Sabbath Rest. You can download it or order it free. Wonderful information on Why a Sabbath rest.
http://www.ucg.org/booklets/SS/
Oops, I forgot the website.
http://www.ucg.org/booklets/SS/
So many people that the Sabbath is a way that God wants us to honor Him…I have always looked on the Sabbath as a gift that God knew mankind would need. A day to set aside daily troubles and tasks and to find peace. A day where guilt over the undone is no more. A day to refresh and recharge in His presence. Yes the Sabbath is to honor God but it is His way of saying ‘I love you’ to us. Kim
Hi Amy,
I have been checking in on you from time to time. What draws me back here, is not only your amazing gift of photography, but even more, your heart for Jesus. Every word you spill across the pages of your website about our Savior must make Him smile as it does me. I pray for your husband every day. I have no goals for the new year. I am just trying to get by…and you have inspired me more then you can, and will EVER know. I wish I could attend one of your workshops, but they are too far away. I live in Maine. Do you sell them on DVD’s. Anyways…continue on in your persuit of Jesus and continue to bless us all with your amazing gift of Photography!
Hello,
I love your work, and I love this post!
You have realized the true intent of the Sabbath
Why that specific Day is given to us as well…God set the example and it reminds us to look back onto all that He has created and done in our lives.
We keep the Sabbath and it is such a tremendous blessing to our family.
I wish that the whole world truly understood what you have realized.
Just like Jesus said, “Man is not made for the Sabbath, the Sabbath is made for man.” It is God’s special gift to us, to keep us happy, and healthy (physically, emotionally, and spiritually).
Oh, and did I mention that I LOVE your work?!
Blessings and (((Hugs)))
Steph.
Amy, I know you wrote this post a long time ago, but for some reason I happened to go on your blog today and read this post. I was just thinking some of these same thoughts yesterday, and your post reaffirmed my thoughts and I think it was a God Thing that I read your take on this. So thanks for letting Jesus work through you!
I so appreciate this post. I never take sessions or weddings on Sundays, as that is the Sabbath I observe, and I feel like I’d be doing my children a disservice if I did. I want them to learn by my example and remember the “old ways”.
I once heard a quote that I love and will never forget:
Our great-grandfathers called it the Holy Sabbath,
Our grandfathers called it the Sabbath,
Our parents called it Sunday,
We call it the weekend.
Good for you, Amy Wenzel, for honoring the Sabbath.