on hiding under your apron
rest for the weary
The week has gone by in the way that so many weeks do: the days seem to drag and then suddenly, somehow, it’s Friday. We’ve had torrential rain that has caused highways to be shut down and businesses closed but it has brought a bit of relief to the heat. It’s still hot but not quite so hot.
At lunch on Thursday, I told Anderson all I wanted was to sit by myself in silence (ha!) which feels like a rarity at times in our house. I am reminded of a story of Susanna Wesley, mother to Charles Wesley, who had nineteen children (?!?) and had taught them that if they walk into the kitchen to find her sitting down with the apron over her head they needed to leave her alone because she was in prayer and should not be disrupted. I am half tempted to try this…
Recently, my dear friend Taylor who I met during my time in Chattanooga (and who just recently had a sweet baby girl!) and I were chatting about the responsibilities and burdens of life. Many are necessary and good but that doesn’t mean they are easy to carry or don’t make us weary.
Caring for an aging parent is honorable and wearisome.
Child-rearing is beautiful and challenging.
Investing in all it takes to maintain a marriage is worthwhile and hard.
Cooking meals and cleaning dishes nourishes us and our family and can be tiresome.
Working in a small office for the good of your community and your family can be draining.
Tending to a garden is beneficial and hot, sweaty work.
These are all good and often necessary tasks but they can leave us tired and weary. My sweet friend, after hearing what responsibilities were currently in my life, prompted me with this question: what are ways you can incorporate rest?
And now I ask you the same.
What are ways you can curate delight and fulfillment in your life, in the midst of the daily good and necessary work the Lord has for you? What are pockets of time that you can protect, pull the apron over your head if you will, and take a moment to be nourished?
Can you find thirty minutes to sit by yourself in silence with a cup of tea, as I plan on doing as soon as I finish this?
Can you meet with a friend and frolic, refreshing your soul with the gift of a kindred spirit?
Can you and your husband sneak away to grab ice cream and leave all talk of responsibilities at home?
Can you pick up the paintbrush, pen, or camera and enjoy yourself?
Can you turn on a song and dance or go on a nice, long walk?
These moments can be hard to find in certain seasons but perhaps they are all the more necessary when they are scarce.
I hope you are able to carve out some time this weekend, dear friends, to rest, delight, and enjoy yourself.
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" Matthew 11:28
And now for some recommendations…
to listen… I’ve always loved Sarah Sparks’ Into the Lantern Waste album and she just came out with her sweet “voice memos” version.
to savor… Last summer, on a whim, I made an orzo summer dish for some friends who came over and it was a hit! We all loved it. I then promptly forgot all about it. I was sharing recipe ideas with a friend recently and remembered this orzo dish and hope to make it again this coming week. I can’t find the exact recipe I used but this one has the general idea. Essentially, you want orzo, any yummy summer veggies you like raw or grilled, feta or goat cheese (or both), tossed in a delicious lemon vinaigrette.
to read… I am loving Edith Schaeffer’s book The Hidden Art of Homemaking. I just recommended it to my friend, Logan, who is truly the most gifted homemaker. I also just started reading Lord of the Rings… super late to the party on LOTR. I just watched the films for the first time this past year and am enjoying reading these stories aloud.