Hello! Today I'm thinking about rest and rest without pain. Why? you might ask. A couple weeks ago I must have lifted something that was too heavy and I put my low back out of alignment. I was busy, so I let it go without treatment and now I am paying the consequences. I did recently have it adjusted and it felt so good for a day but today it is telling me that it's not quite well. I really don't like back pain, do you? And to be perfectly honest I'm not very good at taking a rest. How about you? Some of you maybe all about rest and others like myself find it diffucult to slow down. Jesus told His disciples after a time of hard work in the ministry to: "come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat." Mark 6:31 Many young mothers have difficulty taking breaks when they have household demands, children and outside work to do but it is necessary. Family vacations and times of rest can have lasting benefits and create such good memories. Some families are doing "staycations" Where they stay at home but do daytrips to nearby attractions or historical sites. Staycations can be less expensive than "vacations" since you can stay at home, make picnic lunches etc. to cut costs down. In the O.T. a Sabbath day was set up for rest once a week. Preparations were made in advance so there would be one day a week without the usual work. It gave the family time to be together, to enjoy one another, to enjoy the Lord and to rest. When was the last time your family took a rest together? We live in such a fast paced world, that resting is becoming a lost art. Without rests we can end up hurting ourselves and causing pain. In order for the Sabbath rest, the women worked extra hard in being organized and getting things ready for that day of rest. Might you consider what you could do to schedule a day of rest for yourself and your family? "Oh! how our loving Sheperd knows our neeed of rest and peace! And how we need the quietness- With Him all troubles cease. Then may we value more and more These times with Thee apart, When Thou dost to our souls reveal Thy wise and loving heart.