Monday Ministerial Musings
By Rev. Mark William Ennis
2023 Blog #34
August 21, 2023
Vacation Blogs 4 of 5
Sabbath Is For Refreshment
This is my fourth week of my Sabbath month and I am enjoying my sabbath even though I’m aware that soon the vacation will end and I’ll be back to my normal life. I love my vacations but wonder how long I really could enjoy such a life of leisure. I think I would get bored if I had such a quiet life for more than a month.
So, what have I been doing during this Sabbath? I have done some cabin renovations. I’ve been working on this renovation project for sixteen years. It was quite deplorable when I bought it. For the past few years I haven’t done massive projects as the price of lumber has increased. When prices diminish I’ll begin larger projects.
A lot of my time was catching up on the reading that I have been neglecting during the year. Reading is my refreshment. I helps me learn how and what others think, it gives me good and valuable knowledge and helps ground me. It has been my practice to read each and every day since I can remember. Even in college during finals week I would not go to sleep without reading a bit of a novel. Maybe I would have done better at finals if I had given up such reading, but maybe I would have done worse as my mind would have been less relaxed and ready to take exams.
This month I am now enjoying the wonderful gift of having the time to really read and delve into knowledge that I haven’t had up until now. I must give a shout out to Elder Bill from my congregation who gave me my latest addition to my book collection. It is the one hundredth anniversary history of National Geographic. It is a wonderful read and I feel energized after finishing each chapter.
What is my favorite activity on vacation? It is sitting in my porch swing with a good read in my hand. I am grateful for this opportunity. It is truly my Sabbath refreshment and rejuvenation. Yes, it will end soon, but I’ll face a new year refreshed and ready to serve when my down time is over.
Not everyone finds such recharging from reading. What is your way to refreshment? I hope that you take time the time you need for whatever works to refresh yourselves. If we neglect our time of leisure, we will never have the energy we need for our work.
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To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please look at his website:
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