Recharging

Hey everyone, it's our last Net's Notations Tuesday. Annette here. Don't worry. I'll be interspersing my thoughts and articles/devotionals among other Mixing-It-Up Monday posts in the future. Today, let's talk about rest.

It’s summer! Time to think about packing for some getaways. I always take the same journal with me on vacation. It’s a guided journal for Christian creative types. Every summer, year after year, I jot down my entries. The rest of the year, I don’t even touch it. There’s something about beach lounging and creative writing that refreshes me. How about you?

What refreshes you?

And why do we wait until summer before we take much-needed breaks?

Recently, I found myself in Seattle for an entire day. No laptop. Spotty internet access on my smart phone. Few options. But I had my Kindle with me, with the Psalms from the Message Bible, and I had my homework with me. (I’m taking a class through church.) Between the two of those books, a tiny conference room, a gorgeous view of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains, I spent some glorious hours with the Lord… recharging.

He knows I’ve spent 10-12 hour days in my writing office lately.

He knows last weekend didn’t include the usual rest (awesome church activities kept us busy).

He knew where to lead this daughter, even when the plan surprised me.

He’s our Shepherd, our Good Shepherd, and He will lead us “beside still waters” and He will “restore our souls.” Even when we don’t realize where He's taking us.

Then, the day after that surprising Seattle trip, He gave me a fantastic idea for a future project.

Refreshing leads to new creativity. And writers need that downtime to recharge in order to keep working those brain muscles we creative types overwork. *wink*

So, how can you recharge? Doesn’t have to cost anything. Just visit the local park, take a walk someplace inspiring, go swimming. Give yourself permission to get away from the computer, the deadlines, the routine. Watch for opportunities to recharge. Don’t be frustrated when things don’t go your way. He’s got something planned, some surprise He’s working out. Go with Him. Trust Him. Let Him recharge you.

Refreshed by God Series: One

Refreshing
Refreshed by God Series One

Net's Notations Tuesdays

It’s vacation season, or you could call it summer. *grin* Where is your favorite place to go? Kids are out of school, weather turns nice. You get away.

Well, now that summer is winding down, are you planning any last minute trips to get away?

One summer, we took our usual trip to a favorite spot. Whole family piled into the van and off we went with gear galore. (the only way to travel)

As often happens, I anticipated great inspiration and some downtime to write while away. So, my laptop was tucked into the van as we headed out.

We arrived at our location, unpacked and settled in. Kids trucked down to the beach. Husband grabbed a good book or some other project and it was time to write! Unpack the laptop, search for the cord. No cord. Uh-oh. Really? No electric cord? No way to recharge my elderly battery which cannot hold a charge no matter what I do? Drains in about 2.5 minutes. Ugh! I forgot my cord.

Then I hear God tell me He wants me to truly relax. To set the computer aside. (I don’t write without it—i.e. paper and pen—too frustratingly slow.) To rest. To relax. To let Him refresh me.

What a concept—take a break!

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters. (Psalm 23:1-2)

Thing about that beautiful passage as it relates with our being refreshed—we have to follow the Good Shepherd as He leads us to destinations meant to help us relax. Can I hear an Amen?

Suppose I had grabbed a pen and notebook and hid in the back bedroom and defied the gentle command to rest? Welcome, resentment. Welcome, bitterness. Welcome, frustrating vacation. But I didn’t. I recognized the loving care of my Shepherd and actually took a much-needed break from writing and its stressors. Sat in the sunshine. Communed with family and the Lord. Journaled. Rejuvenated.

A true vacation.

Is God gentling drawing you away for some R&R? Follow. You’ll be glad you did.

Time to Rest

Thursdays - Devotions for Writers

I said, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest - (Psalm 55:6 NIV)

I hated naps as a child.

I didn’t see the point.

Why should I be forced to lie down and rest when I didn’t feel tired?

Summer evenings were brutal. From an open bedroom window I could hear older children in the neighborhood still playing outside. I’d toss and turn in bed while the sun still shone for another hour.

What a waste.

My parents told me that when I grew up I’d feel differently about bedtime. I’d look forward to it.

I didn’t believe them.

As a busy adult I tend to push the limits. There are often more things to do in a day than there is time to accomplish them.

How differently I feel now when I crawl under the covers and lay my head on the pillow. I sigh with contentment at how good it feels to rest. My parents were right.

As writers, many of us struggle with finding balance in our lives. If we’re working diligently on our manuscripts, articles, or blogs, we may worry that we’re neglecting time with our families. While watching TV with our spouse or playing a board game with our children, we may internally feel pressure to get back to the computer.

It feels like there isn’t any time for rest.

There isn’t time to just sit and read a book for pleasure.

Or sip coffee while lounging on the back deck of our home.

Because we need to get that chapter written—that blog posted—and the multitude of emails answered.

But God knew how important it was for us to rest.

He told us to devote one day a week to it.

Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day, you shall rest.” (Exodus 34:12 NIV)

It’s a good reminder for me that it’s okay to rest.

And perhaps . . . just perhaps . . . if I listen to Him, I’ll have enough energy and inspiration to whip off that chapter in no time.

Dawn