The meaning of rest as defined by house-sitting and other things. :)

Ha!  The title cracked me up for a minute there. :)

Today was the official start-date for the house-sitting job I have over the weekend.  It happens to be at a place I absolute love and adore, with 4 of the coolest dogs I've met (probably 'cause they crack me up with their antics...and they're weiner dogs...always makes me laugh).  Did I mention that there's a pool here? :)  Which is how this blog came to be, well, sort of. :)

Mostly started last weekend at the retreat for Fuel.  It was an amazing place to stay, where we were at...filled w/ cubbie holes, crawl spaces, a fireman's pole you can slide down from, plus chocolates on our pillow as well as packs of gum.  And did I mention the what seems like gazillion books scattered throughout the place.  PLUS a working jukebox, foozeball table, air hockey table...yeah, this place was amazing...and I loved it there.

But I realized that last weekend was only partial rest.  Pretty much my fault on that one.  I got so caught in trying to make sure everything was done BEFORE leaving, that when I finally got there, I pretty much just crashed out.  Now, don't get me wrong here...it was excellent and amazing and MUCH needed.  I just forgot how to sit for a moment without moving. haha

Which brings us to this passing week.  It's been hectic and busy.  Filled w/ drama, things going on at work, more drama, parental conversations, good compliments, constructive criticism, late nights working, with even later nights working from home, to early mornings at the office, to, well, you get the picture.  I've never drank as much caffeine in 1 month as I did this week.  My poor body lived off caffeine...and will continue to do so until tomorrow after ER day...But anywho...

This whole week has been filled w/ craziness.  No rest, no relaxation.  Pretty much, work, come home, eat the one meal (maybe 2 if I remembered to eat breakfast...which consisted of the leftover casserole I had from this weekend to maximize time and not cook), sleep, get up, work, come home, eat, repeat cycle...  With bouts of tears thrown in just at how hectic and busy and stressful it's been having to deal w/ certain...uh..."situations" thrown my way.

So, when I get the text asking me to housesit at one of my favorite places, I was like YES PRAISE THE BABY JESUS! (haha  Always reminds me of Rita for some reason...)

And tonight, I was all ready to snuggle in bed a bit early, so excited at the thought of relaxing, that in my excitedness to relax, I couldn't even fall asleep! (I know, sad, right?!)

So, decided to head for a "midnight swim" so to speak (yeah, I know it's not midnigt, but that's okay!).  With my cup of pumpkin spice coffee (oh, how I love this family!! :)...they have a Keurig machine w/ pumpkin spice coffee cups...can we say, FREE coffee that's my favorite drink!?!).  And, in the cold water, I just floated in the pool, looking at the clouds moving, the stars twinkling, talking to the giant dog named Cocoa, who I love and adore and could hug and squeeze and...well, you get the picture.  Talk about gentle giant of a dog! haha

Anywho, I was just floating along, praying, talking to God...when He reminded me that even I, yes, IIIIII (stretch this out in a long sort of voice), need rest.  I'm known at work as the one who's willing to do what it takes to get the job done, who puts in those extra hours for the kids, who goes above and beyond.  Not only that, but just...well...yeah.

So, listening to Him, He reminded me of my desire during the retreat...which was to not just be a vessel of His love, but to rest in Him, knowing that every time I look up at that night sky, I just laugh with joy at what my Abba has created for me. :)  The beauty around me, just...well...WOWZERS.

So, I floated along, and this happiness began to bubble up in me.  I even started talking to the dog (yes, I know...Jesus loves me. :) ).

Which is when I realized what He wanted me to learn all along this summer, the summer where I was told to rest...

I feel safest when I rest.
In His arms, in a pool, in a chair...
When I'm at rest, no matter how hectic my day is, no matter what's been going on in life,
When I take the time to rest, I feel SAFE.
Nothing can harm me
Nothing can come against me (though it may try)
But feeling that perfect peace which comes from Him.

Now, some of you may think that's silly,
But I am starting to realize just how important rest is.
Even resting from all the "religious" things we do...
reading praying journaling meditating
I know...some of you are probably gasping right now at the last 2 sentences there
But hold on, let me finish!

Resting from those things...
meaning, taking the time to put those aside,
And just basking in Him
Listening to Him
singing to Him off key in the dark where no one can here you but the dog...and the howling cat next door
Setting aside my agenda of reading a good book by Dutch Sheets,
or setting aside the journal that reminds me to pray,
or setting asie the phone w/ the portable Bible on it...

And just sitting down somewhere,
quietting the mind,
and CHOOSING to listen to Him
with my giant cup of Pumpkin Spice coffee
and my ears turned to heaven
the dog lying across my legs
and the phone on some pretty cool jammin' worship

All that to say...

Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, but the Lord your God brought you out with his strong hand and powerful arm. That is why the Lord your God has commanded you to rest on the Sabbath day.
Deut 5:15

And the Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had solemnly promised their ancestors. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the Lord helped them conquer all their enemies.
Josh 21:44

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength.
Isaiah 30:15

Blessed are those who honor my Sabbath days of rest and keep themselves from doing wrong.
Isaiah 56:2

For I have given rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowing.”
Jeremiah 31:25

All who found them devoured them. Their enemies said, ‘We did nothing wrong in attacking them, for they sinned against the Lord, their true place of rest, and the hope of their ancestors.’
Jeremiah 50:7 (The Lord is our TRUE place of rest...nothing else will satisfy us as a long soak with the Lord)

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28

King David said this about him:
   ‘I see that the Lord is always with me.
      I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
 ²⁶ No wonder my heart is glad,
      and my tongue shouts his praises!
      My body rests in hope.
Acts 2:25-26

Hebrews 3:19
So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest.

[ Promised Rest for God’s People ] God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it.
For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God.
For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said, “In my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest,’” even though this rest has been ready since he made the world.
We know it is ready because of the place in the Scriptures where it mentions the seventh day: “On the seventh day God rested from all his work.”
But in the other passage God said, “They will never enter my place of rest.”
So God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God.
So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.”
Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this rest, God would not have spoken about another day of rest still to come.
So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God.
For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world.
So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.
Hebrews 4:1-11


So, take your favorite cup of coffee, plop yourself on a chair outside, enjoy the cool breeze, and rest. :)