Stress Day 1: Prayer - It's Not Just For Night time

I loved this chapter!  In fact, it has been my absolute favorite in the 7 book so far.  The food and the clothing chapters both helped me to be mindful of how much we have and how much we eat.  Existing on seven foods and with seven pieces of clothing for longer than a week with five kids is not sustainable for me (It wasn't for Hatmaker, either).

This chapter on stress, specifically on prayer and on keeping the Sabbath is a keeper.  Hatmaker saved the best for last in my opinion.  In the beginning of the chapter she discusses the need for the Sabbath and how keeping the Sabbath is not for God's benefit, but it is for our own.  How often I forget that.  I have Sunday down as a day of rest but I end up going grocery shopping or after church, coming in here to the office to create my schedule for the week, to grade reflections, to get a head start on the week's assignments.  Then I wonder why I am exhausted on Monday!

Hatmaker lists Hebrews 4:9-11 "There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.  (Heb. 4:9-11).

I know with every fiber of my being come Friday that my body needs rest.  I also  know with a look around me at every room in my house that on Saturday laundry needs to be done, along with dishes, and grocery shopping, and cleaning, and of course, some time to run and play and be free!!!!!

Come Sunday, it is time for rest; time for reflection; time for us to stop and take measure of the week He has blessed us with.  Time to rest and be still and know that He is God.  I have a canvas I bought several years ago that I keep above my desk in the office that says, "Be Still and Know That I Am God."  When I am busy typing, reading, writing, researching, planning on the laptop I can look directly up and be reminded who I am in Christ, and who I serve.

Scripture says if we love God we will keep His commandments.  Christ teaches us that every commandment was given because He loves us.  Rest is a good thing.  The older I get the more I am convinced that a nap, that a quiet walk, or a peaceful porch swing rest are just about as close to heaven as you can get on earth.

I want to rededicate in my life and in the life of my family the sacredness of the Sabbath.  Please join me tomorrow as I share with you my journey through the different prayer times that Hatmaker suggests.

Sincerely,
Dawn

Explanation of the Out of Order Blog Posts

This summer has been a gift for Heather and for me, both individually and collectively.  Heather recently finished an inspirational three day bike ride to Charleston in ridiculous heat to raise money for a worthy cause.  This bike ride was the culminating event for a season of training to prepare her body for riding major miles three days straight.

For me, I spent June at the Spartanburg Writing Project, which for fourteen years has been a blessing professionally and personally and I pray each summer that I am able to give the best I have to the teachers who join us.  In July the Mitchell family had our first major vacation. It was epic!  Fifteen days out west to Yellowstone and to the Laura Ingalls Wilder homestead.  It changed me.  It changed us.  It was a powerful time for self reflection and for time together.  I know I am a better parent and a better person for it.

Together, Heather and I embarked the first week of June on the book study, Seven by Jenn Hatmaker.  For the few of you who have followed us on the blog, you know the ways this book has challenged us to live what we truly believe, and to live less of what the world offers.  It has changed me.

With two teachers who have less than two weeks before our students come to class, we knew we were short on time but long on the desire to finish 7 strong.  For that reason, we decided to skip the chapters on Waste and Spending.  One, I married an Environmental Engineer and we don't waste much.  Two - Heather and Frac live in the country as well and grow a garden too, and work minimize their carbon footprint.

We skipped spending, not because we don't need to grow in this area - it's just that with back to school coming we are both spending money preparing our classrooms and on our own children's back to school.  I definitely was mindful not to over-indulge but the teacher salary scale helps to reduce a lot of overspending in that area.

We wanted to end our summer and begin our teaching careers this year reading the chapter on stress.  We thought it was appropriate.

Sincerely,
Dawn and Heather

Stress: Day 1 - Exhale

I always had this ideal image of what a true, hardcore, Christian prayer warrior looked like. - a black suit and tie (wearing his best for God, ya know), a massive ten-pound Bible nearby for reference, and either pacing back and forth shouting loudly to the sky, or kneeling by the bed with hands clasped tightly together in complete silence.

Okay, so maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit; but the point is that I've never looked in the mirror and seen a mighty intercessor looking back at me. Prayer has always been my weak spot. I love reading the Bible and Christian commentaries on the Bible. I love reading about the history of Bible times and the meanings and symbols of Scripture. I enjoy reflecting on holy words and their applications. I feel like I'm good at that sort of stuff. I enjoy praying too, but... I often forget to do it. Or when I do, it doesn't feel like it's good enough, long enough, strong enough, etc. etc. etc. 

This is the final week for Seven. Due to pre-planned vacations, bike rides, and other assorted life events, Dawn and I kind of flubbed through chapters 6 and 7 together ("Waste" and "Spending" - good topics!). However, we agreed that chapter seven on "Stress" was of the utmost importance to us both, especially the week before school goes back into full swing.
It would take a really long time to explain the whole chapter in detail (seriously, just go read the amazing book yourself!), but I will try to sum it up for you.
Hatmaker points out all the important facets of rest that are illustrated in the Bible. Suffice to say that if God, who never sleeps, rested on the seventh day of creation, then we need to rest too. But it isn't just about the Sabbath. Hatmaker references the importance of prayer throughout each day to focus us, ground us, and redirect us to the Prince of Peace. In so doing, we keep stress at bay, refusing it a foothold in our day. She based her seventh month on a work called Seven Sacred Pauses by Marine Wiederkehr. I haven't read that one, so I'm just going to take Hatmaker's word for it and follow her example. The title basically explains itself. The day is to be broken into seven prayerful pauses, each with its own specific purpose:

The Night Watch (midnight)
The Awakening Hour (dawn)
The Blessing Hour (midmorning)
The Hour of Illumination (noon)
The Wisdom Hour (midafternoon)
The Twilight Hour (early evening)
The Great Silence (bedtime)

I began the week today with The Great Silence, around 9:00 pm. It was just me, God, the great outdoors, and Psalm 23. And it was beautiful. Peaceful. Restorative. And so quiet. I didn't pray long - maybe ten minutes - but as I finished by reading the 23rd Psalm out loud, I saw things in a new light. THIS was the image of a prayer warrior - flip-flops,  jeans, and a tshirt surrounded by lightning bugs and mosquitos, humbly approaching His throne via the front porch steps, a crumpled Bible,  and a hunger for more.

I'm looking forward to this week of prayer and a heavenly focus because I so desperately need to get my focus off myself.

Now I just have to see if I can make it to midnight...

-Heather