Reflections on Rest

It was a long journey home today. We left my parents' at 8am, which under normal circumstances would have meant arriving home by 11am. Through a long series of unplanned stops for everything from 'can't miss' buy-one-get-two-more-free sales, to repeated attempts at emptying bladders, we did not actually arrive home until 2 hours behind schedule. We were so far behind that we actually stopped for lunch only 20 minutes outside of town. Pressing on was not really an option.

We spent a couple of hours unpacking the car and allowing the children to play and unwind--then my husband and I switched into hyper-productivity mode. He is taking a week of vacation, which means he has a list of catch up items that could fill a month. This afternoon we elected to divide and conquer.

I decided to attempt only 2 errands--the dry cleaners and the grocery store. As I tried to get the children motivated to accompany me, it became apparent that they were quite tired.

It was, afterall, an action-packed weekend. They were up over an hour past bedtime two nights in a row. Yet, due to all the excitement they have bounced out of bed at their usual 6am.

I drove about 3 blocks before an exhaustion-induced meltdown occurred. I pulled the car over and declared that, on second thought, we were not going to go to the grocery store, but home to nap. My decision was met with wailing from the child who was already mid-meltdown and relieved resignation from the other two.

My plan was thwarted. I was frustrated. I had wanted to feel productive, to mark things off my list. Yet, proceeding with 'my plan' would have been unwise. The four of us would have been unnecessarily miserable and frustrated had I not aborted the mission.

I just tiptoed upstairs to find that they are all asleep. It has been less than 15 minutes! What a reminder to me--a true Type A Mommy--to not push so hard. There is much life to be lived, but there must be room to breathe and rest. In the end, we will all be much better off for it! Especially this time of year when everyone seems to be running on adrenaline. Let's remember to keep the main thing the main thing...and not sacrifice tenderness and kindness towards our families in order to 'make things perfect' for them. What an illusion!

It reminded me of this paraphrase of 1 Corinthians 13 by Sharon Jaynes:
If I decorate my house perfectly with lovely plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights, and shiny glass balls, but do not show love to my family - I’m just another decorator.
If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals, and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family - I’m just another cook.
If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family - It profits me nothing.
If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties, and sing in the choir’s cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.
Love stops the cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.
Love doesn’t envy another home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn’t yell at the kids to get out of the way.
Love doesn’t give only to those who are able to give in return, but rejoices in giving to those who can’t.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
Love never fails. Video games will break; pearl necklaces will be lost; golf clubs will rust. But giving the gift of love will endure.

Would I rather strike everything off my list while speaking in a snappy, irritable or threatening voice--or take a little time out to rest and reformulate a plan that doesn't involve unnecessary roughness? Truthfully, I wish it were possible to get everything done and be exceedingly loving the entire time...but more often than not you have to choose.

I don't choose the right thing often enough. But today I did--and I am going to reward myself with a nap of my own. :-)