Star Trek in Our Jammies or Finding Rest

I was sorely in need of some rest. I had been running around making preparations for Easter. I was working on a writing deadline with words that just wouldn’t come. I had a children’s ministry scavenger hunt to prepare, practices to run small people too, and the day-to-day stuff of life to take care of.

I was sorely in need of rest.

I’m sure that there are many of you who can relate to a packed schedule. The problem wasn’t really the schedule. This season of our life is busy, but good busy, not overwhelming, just full. It was simply time for a rest. My body could feel it. My heart was yearning for it.

The funny part was that I was completely unaware of it until I sat down on my couch.

I love my couch. It sucks you in, in all the right ways. You aren’t sucked into it, as in “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.” Instead, its soft rustic leather eases around you and says, “Hello, old friend. It’s been awhile.”

Let me tell you, it had indeed been a while. Ever been there? There right now, in need of rest?

Good Friday morning I woke up and walked downstairs and sat down. Oh couch! I forgot how much I missed you! My eleven year old son sat down next to me and said, “Mom, how about a Star Trek in our jammies morning?” He was speaking my language.

When was the last time I just sat down and did almost nothing.

When was the last time our family sat together and did almost nothing?

My husband came downstairs and I timidly asked him, “Hey, I know it’s Holy Week, but do you want to drink some coffee and watch Star Trek with us.”

To my surprise he answered in the affirmative. “Yes! I need coffee and Star Trek right about now. Let’s do it!”

Watching Star Trek in your jammies may not seem really rebellious in your normal schedule (nor may it sound interesting to you!), but for us, this was a major diversion from the routine. Not shockingly, after my hour of coffee and Star Trek I felt refueled. Ready to take on the world. Words easily came from my pen to my page. I found new joy in my preparations for the Easter season ahead.

I’m so thankful for the quiet moments of rest. This particular rest isn’t profound life-changing-vacation rest, or Sabbath-day-devotion rest, or even I-need-a-nap-on-Easter-Sunday-afternoon rest. It is come-away-for-a-quiet-time-and-rest rest.

Hear some wisdom from Mark 6:31 –

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” 

In every family this is an important kind of rest. In church work families this is vital rest that often goes by unnoticed.

This is relational rest, spending-time-with-God-and-one-another rest.

God gave us each other, the Body of Christ, to keep us in check.

Jesus offered his disciples rest, that they may not have taken without His verbalizing it, offering it as a gift. It would have been ok, had my husband said no thank you to Star Trek that morning, but I’m so thankful I offered, so that he could accept.

What does “a quiet place” and rest look like to you? Who keeps you accountable for rest, in a gospel kind of way? Who offers you a quiet place and rest? Who can you offer some quiet and rest to today?

This is just one more way Jesus’ work is done through us, poured into one another. The simple offer of rest.

Our family decided that every Saturday morning when there is nothing on the schedule, it will officially be Star Trek in our jammies morning. We even busted out the calendar to make sure that there were 2 mornings a month freed up for this over the next few months. It sounds so silly, but so wonderful.

Rest.

What a sweet, sweet gift of our Lord. Praising Him for each moment, in the busyness and in the rest!