REST FOR THE WEARY
Rest is one of my favorite words. Just thinking about rest for the weary brings a calm feeling. It seems like most of us have been busy with one thing after another. Often we forget to rest. Sometimes I just close my eyes for a few minutes, and that is all I need to give me renewed energy. Sometimes I need a long, relaxing nap.
Trouble is I don’t like to nap. I get involved in writing or cooking or reading, and I don’t want to stop and take a nap. I can be yawning constantly and still refuse to stop and rest. I’m not sure why that is. Can anybody else identify with that?
I will often stay up very late at night even though I know I would feel better in the morning if I had an earlier bedtime. Sometimes I do my best writing at night, sometimes it’s better in the morning. I guess it depends on when inspiration grabs me.
The problem with not resting is that my body can only take so much before it rebels and I’m forced to rest. Nighttime is given to us so that we can have some good sleep. Why do I fight it sometimes? You’d think I was a child not wanting to go to bed. Maybe I’m just afraid I’ll miss something, although I have no idea what.
Sometimes I can rest by lying back in my chair and closing my eyes for a little while. Other times resting can come in the form of a quiet walk observing the flowers, trees and sky. Looking at refreshing photos can also be relaxing. I hope you enjoy the ones I’ve interspersed among the writing.
I’m linking up with #FiveMinuteFriday, but I went over a couple of minutes. I’m also linking with #SittingAmongFriends, #TestimonyTuesday
Lovely words and pictures, Gayl!
I was always lousy at resting, but now there’s no choice, though I really try to avoid rest-and-nap, because I have really eerie nightmares that are probably driven by pain.
Instead I’ll settle into a sort of meditative state in which I’m aware, but quiet and relaxed. I know what’s going on, and can respond if needed, but I am, for those few moments, not OF the world.
Does that make sense? Or does it sound like I never quite found my way out of the 60s?
#2 at FMF this week.
http://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2016/06/your-dying-spouse-172-not-without-fight.html
I think it makes perfect sense, Andrew, especially if it helps you deal with the pain. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it. So glad you enjoyed the pictures and words! I pray God will bless you and give you some relief through this trying time. Keep writing, because your words are needed.
I so get the gogogo of life. Napping is hard core good stuff. And what a reprieve when we allow our physical bodies to rest.
Napping is good stuff, so I don’t know why I fight it so much. LOL My husband naps every day, but I just like to be up when it’s daylight. 🙂 Thanks for visiting, Marvia. I will definitely try to at least have rest times during the day even if I don’t nap. 🙂 Blessings to you! xo
I almost never nap! Sadly or maybe not my mind is busy most of the time??
These days the Lord is taking me through that path of rest so I an grasp more from Him and not rush through life….
Hugs and blessings to you Gayle.
I hear you, Ifeoma! I think my mind is just so busy that I don’t think about stopping for a nap. I have been trying to take life more slowly, to enjoy the moments, but sometimes I still rush through things. It’s an ongoing learning process, I think. Thanks so much for your words. Blessings and hugs to you, too!
We are laden with blueberries this summer, Gayl. Hubs has started a run of blueberry wine (he loves to make wine!). I always enjoy your words and your photos. xo
You must love blueberries as much as I do. 🙂 Blueberry wine sounds lovely! Thanks so much for visiting. I’m glad you enjoyed! Blessings and hugs to you, Susan! xo
I know the feeling of pushing through the yawning because I think, for me, I realize how precious time is and I don’t want to miss opportunities – like checking on blueberries. Love the pictures!
I think that’s what it is for me, too, so I let the yawns come and I keep going. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed the pictures! Have a great weekend! Blessings to you, Christina!
Hi Gayl!
I have been enjoying coming by here :). I can totally relate to staying up later then I need to. It is true. I think I will miss out on all this free time as my little one sleeps. But I always regret it in the morning. Rest is important : ) even with a almost 2 year old
I’m glad you enjoy visiting here, Kristina! It really is hard to find a balance of resting and also having free time, isn’t it? So many times I thought I should have napped when my kids did, but I chose to do something else. Guess we just have to keep trying. 🙂 Blessings to you!
Oh, Gayl. Naps are a must for me in the heat of summer. When the temperature goes above 100° (which is just about every day in June here in Arizona), I can’t think without one.
Thank you for soothing me with your lovely pictures. I got to close my eyes now. ?
Stopped by from #sittingamongfriends blog hop.
Naps are the best thing during those hot afternoons, I’m sure. I’m so glad my pictures were soothing. ? Thanks so much for stopping by! Blessings to you!
Hmmm . . . I see that we have the same bad habit of burning the candle at both ends. (Was it Dickinson who wrote that “it makes a lovely light!”? )
I’m not sure, but I know I like Dickinson. 🙂 Michele, I just found your comment in my trash file. I have no idea how it got there! I quickly restored it so I could reply. Thank you so much for your continued encouragement. Many blessings to you! xo
I am totally like you with the whole pushing through yawns and refusing to rest when I need to. Unlike you though, I am an expert level napper. I think I’ve honed my napping skills to such a fine state because of the fact that I just can’t sleep so much at night. Insomnia has been my near-constant companion for almost three years and that means that most nights I only get about 3-5 hours of sleep. Napping helps me keep my sanity.
I love your photographs! The one of the moon is especially good. I can see not only the “strawberry” colour of it, but the fine details of the craters and maria of the moon’s surface. Thank you for sharing it!
Stopping by from FMF #65 this week.
Wow, so sorry you aren’t able to sleep much at night! It’s good that you are able to take naps. Actually, when I was pregnant I always tried to take naps every day. Otherwise I would have had a hard time making it till bedtime. 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed the photographs. I had fun taking them. It was a bit hard to do the moon, because I used the zoom feature. When I do that I have to hold the camera very still. It took a few tries to get one I was satisfied with. 🙂
Thank you so much for stopping by and for your encouraging comments! Blessings to you!
I like to be up at night too–even though I know an earlier bedtime would help my tomorrow. If I have stayed up too late, 20 min power nap usually helps me get going.
I’m sure a 20 min. power nap would be just what I need. Now to just stop and actually do it. LOL Thanks for stopping by today, Cheryl! Blessings to you and have a great week.
Sometimes the most holy thing we can do is take a nap. Yet resisting rest so often seems to be our default mode. Maybe it is due to a fear of missing out, of liking to be seen to be busy, or neglecting to prioritise our needs. Whatever the reason, the remedy is to find some time for stillness and solitude, regardless of whether we close our eyes or not. In fact, glimpsing and appreciating creation is often the most restful thing we do, and the most natural way God has given us to have moments of relief from our own concerns. Your words and images combine to create a lovely restful ambience here. Thanks, Gayl! Bless you. xo
Joy, for some reason I found your comment in the trash file. Not sure how that happened. Anyway, I’m glad I found it and was able to restore it. Thank you so much for your encouragement to take time to rest. I’m glad my words and images are restful. You are a blessing, Joy. Blessings to you and much love. xo
Such a beautiful offering. Rest is one of my favorite words and things to do. However, I am a terrible nap taker. Rest to me is pausing regular routines for something different. I am so glad that I stopped by here today.
Thank you, Mary. You and I would win the prize for not taking naps, I guess, because I’m also a terrible nap taker. 🙂 Yes, I also can find rest in pausing to do something different. I’m glad you stopped by, too! Have a great week and may God bless! Hugs!!
I like a good nap now and then. I was resting in one of my fave places so just now catching up on FMF posts. I’m over in the 51 spot last week.
Thanks for visiting, Tara! Glad you’re having a chance to rest. 🙂 I’ll visit you, too. 🙂 Blessings!