July 1, 2015
REST in the Lord!
“The Lord is my Shepherd. I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows. He leads me to peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name.” Psalm 23:1-3 NLT
King David, in the midst of life circumstances, had a beautiful and authentic relationship with his Shepherd King who was his Protector, his Provider, his Promise-keeper…always, always leading him into His peaceful rest…ahhh yes…peace-filled rest!
And our Shepherd King is our Protector, our Provider, our Promise-keeper…leading each mom…each dad…each child…into His peace-filled REST!
Get Some REST!
Years ago if someone had instructed me to “Get Some Rest” in the summer, I am quite certain that I would have politely replied… “You have to be kidding me!” And, I would probably have laughed that ugly, emotional, sobbing, hysterical laughter which only comes from the heart of an exhausted and desperately determined mom at the beginning of the wonderfully wild and crazy Summer season…Whew…exhausted just remembering it! And honestly, I would not trade one wild, crazy, chaotic, moment…not one wonderful, beautiful, precious moment with my little ones…with my big ones…as we claimed our Summer Family Time! The truth is that, we discovered, through experience and dependency on our Shepherd King, that He is our Protector, our Provider, our Promise-keeper…leading each mom…each dad…each child…into His peace-filled REST! Summer Time…Family time…peace-filled REST!
REST
Rest is defined as relaxation from exertion, relief, or refreshment, calm, a pause…
I love this definition because of the word pause…a pause…from exertion…oh yes, relief and refreshment…Family time…Peace-filled REST! Is it possible?
The best way to REST is to look at these activities through the acronym REST…
R-Recreation…E-Entertainment…S-Service…T-Time
Over the next few weeks, we will look at each of these opportunities which help to create healthy, stress-free, memorable Family Time!
Families that Play together…Stay together!
R- Recreation…Recreation is defined as activities that refresh and recreate, that renew health and spirits by enjoyment and relaxation…activities which require and inspire participation. Family camps, family sports activities, hobbies, classes, games are wonderful examples of great Family recreation opportunities, and they are very accessible! Families that play together, stay together. Did I mention PLAY? Hide n’ Seek, ping-pong, spoons, Left-Right-Center…Activities requiring participation from all members of the family to create a time for laughter, for enjoyment, for relaxation, for conversation, for CONNECTION!
Youth development experts agree that children need a wide variety of experiences in their lives to help them to grow and to develop. Camps and team activities help to build decision-making skills, to create independence, and to develop character and values.
One of our most meaningful family recreating and relaxing experiences occurred when we attended a summer Family Camp at Trail West Camp, a Young Life Camp, in Buena Vista, Colorado. Don Anderson Ministries sponsored this particular session and the incredible opportunities, attracting families from all over the U.S. Although our children were young, they both remember the discovery of God’s handiwork etched into His mountainside masterpiece… and they remember the evidence of His presence. It was there, on the mountain that our son Adam asked Jesus into his life and our daughter was my little cheerleader. She remembers my baptism there with my family and friends serving as witnesses. It was there that Bill and I were challenged to begin our first journey of reading the Bible in a year. I will never forget Don Anderson and his urgent, yet, sincere challenge… “What are you going to do when you get to Heaven and you meet Paul and he asks you what you thought of his books? Will you have to say…Well…I intended to read them…I just didn’t have time…”
His words pierced our hearts because we have been given a life-time and neither one of us had ever read the Bible cover to cover. As soon as we left the camp, we drove to a Christian book-store and purchased two copies of The One Year Bible. That challenge trickled down to our children as well…No one could forget those words and the Family Camp experience… And our children will never forget their father as he attempted to square-dance with them!
Scheduled and structured activities provide invaluable opportunity for recreation and connection…for laughter and play…for rest and relaxation…for pause…
Recreation and Free-Range Play–
Overwhelming and conclusive research suggests that Free-Range play or a relaxed schedule vs. a highly structured schedule is one of the most important elements in a child’s overall development. It is vital to general child development, cognitive development, and serves as de-stressors for the stressful lifestyles of the school year schedules. Experts conclude that Free-Range play actually enhances learning and is one of the most important factors in preparing a child for the next school year.
I realize that some of the most frightening moments, especially for moms, as summer begins, are those days when everyone wakes up with nothing to do…no scheduled activities…and the words, “I’m bored” ring out through the house and the backyard. Yes, those times when schedules change can seem challenging…but Free-Range play days are crucial in the child’s life…A motivated child is one who seeks new experiences…not one protected from boredom!
A home environment which allows children to make choices about their activities, and to develop and utilize imaginations, is a home which creates healthy, relaxed children…and honestly, healthy…relaxed parents!
Free-Range Family Time
The concept of Free-Range play can and should be applied to Family Time as well. Free-Range Family Time promotes amazing opportunities for each family member to participate and to contribute to the schedule for the day…
I remember the days of discovery when we would set out as a family, with a picnic lunch, to explore and adventure! No plans…no structure…Each person could pick an activity…and we would play, sometimes games or kite-flying at a park, fishing in the river, swimming, bowling, horse-back riding, play and more play…family projects, and yes…working together…Remembering that every moment is a teaching opportunity.
Recreation-Connection
Recreation is that wonderful, fun, stress-relieving, connection time, which offers each family member the opportunity to relax…to have relief and refreshment from stress-filled schedules and demands…to have a moment of calm and a pause…to REST!
“Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” Psalm 126:2 NIV
May we remember that family is God’s idea…and He desires that His people laugh and sing…He delights when families enjoy and celebrate the gift of life which He has given to them…The laughter and the song of a family is healing…it is connecting…it is refreshing…it is REST-filled…
The laughter and the songs of our families are the testimonies to the world and to the nations that God Almighty, is the True God…the Maker of Heaven and of earth…He is the Creator and the Life-Giver…He is the Redeemer and the Restorer…He is the Deliverer and the Savior… He is the burden bearer…the REST-GIVER…He is your Shepherd…the author and the Creator of The Family.
As you continue on with your Summer Time…with your Family Time…I thank God for your mother and father hearts…for your ‘grand’ hearts…and I pray that laughter and song will overflow from your hearts and spill over into the streets of your community…into the hearts of your community. I pray that you and your precious, wonderful, delightful family find peace in your recreation time…and that you find REST in your Family Time as you and your family connect with one another and as you connect with your Shepherd and find REST in His presence…
“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 NLT
Abundant and overflowing laughter and rest…
Over the next few weeks we will be offering a Family Devotional with Activities for any age. We invite you to enjoy these devotions with your whole family…we invite you to enjoy them when you are alone with your Messiah. We hope to encourage you, to inspire you, to motivate you, and to empower you as you embrace the wonderful, crazy Summer Time opportunities for memorable and productive Family Time! We are cheering you on!
Print the coloring pages for your kids to color and then put them together to create a fun memory verse booklet!
