Colby and I just finished a really thought-provoking book that Christar had us read. It’s called Sabbath Keeping, by Lynne Baab, and it talks about setting aside a day or part of a day to observe the sabbath. The author learned to keep the sabbath when she and her family lived for an extended time in Iran and Israel where all activity stopped in each household for the entire day. They began to see the importance and blessings of the sabbath and this book flowed out of that. I had never considered the concept of the sabbath before, always thinking of it as an Old Testament command that wasn’t suited for today. That and I just never had the time to take a whole day for rest.  This book convicted me that not only was it needed for me to take time to rest in this extended way, but also it was good and part of what God wants me to do.  I decided to start right away because I knew that if I can’t make the time now, I will never be able to.  It has been difficult at times to set work aside because there is always the feeling of “I should be getting more done”.  To be honest, as the author talks about, one of the biggest gifts of the sabbath is that of grace.  To not have to be productive for one day and that be perfectly fine.  To come to realize that God’s love for me is based upon Himself rather than anything I could do.  I think a key concept of the sabbath, aside from the rest aspect, is to realign ourselves (minds and hearts) with God and His perspectives He wants us to have.  I look forward to many more sabbaths, and I hope this has encouraged you to take time for your own.