I love the feeling of a refresh. The feel of freshly mowed grass under my feet, the first rest on bedding that has been freshly laundered. The feel of starting a new journal from scratch, clean and crisp pages demanding to be scribbled on.
The new year feels that way for me, those first few weeks are an invitation to apply to rhythms and re-adjust the old ones.
It’s the start of a year, the reset button has been pressed.
Starting new and resetting your life comes with its own set of intricacies. We sort the clothes of our littles into piles of what doesn’t fit and what’s too worn. We create lists of ways to re-organize the spice cabinet and we place work out clothes from the back of dresser where it has been comfortable to the front of the dresser to feel exposed and vulnerable. With the hopes that exposure will cause enough pressure to persuade you to put them on and possibly put them to use.
The constant cycle of expectation can be exhausting. The anxiety and pressure to perform and provide for your home and community with a happy, healthy and balanced version of yourself can cause an unhealthy level of depletion.
As a mother to four, I am well aware of the ebs and flows of seasons. We all remember what it was like to live those newborn months without the REM sleep that is required to restore and revive your brain, body and emotions. We know “pouring from an empty cup.” But a depleted mother will sacrifice the cup itself for the sake of her home. That is our nature and it’s not ok.
Luke 10:27 (NIV)
He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”
That neighbor part can be explained as “love the people in your proximity.” And as mothers we do that. But how can we love the Lord with a depleted heart, soul, strength and mind?
Rest has the ability to restore and revive things we have lost in the process of simply living.
Hebrews 4:10-11: For anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.
Rest is not all the same. A rest that is a result of relinquish and surrender to the Lord is a form of rest that renews your heart, soul and mind.
Mental rest can be found in meditation of scripture, prayer and journaling, a life giving conversation with God-fearing leaders or friends, intentional time listening to worship or a podcast that encourages or strengthens your mind. A walk in nature with no distractions, a full body workout or a healthy meal. Restorative rest can be found in our daily lives of we choose to live intentionally.
A rested and balanced mother means a peaceful and balanced home. A mother who loves the Lord with her heart, mind and strength is rewarded by being full of a love that can only come from Him. And if you are a mother that is full of His love, there is no ending to the cup that you are pouring into your home.
Psalm 65:11-13 (NIV)
You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance. The grasslands of the wilderness overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness. The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing.
Yvonne Rodriguez , M.S. Ed. Leadership
