Taking a rest or Sabbath day with small kids kind of sounds like taking a vacation with small kids. It sounds a bit like an oxymoron. And yet, God still tells us to work 6 days and rest 1, even with kids.

One of my dear friends Jen from She is Emboldened has been really intentional about learning the art of resting, even with small kids. I wanted to bring her on the blog to share some strategies for what it could practically look like to find ways to rest.

In the busy, tiring season of motherhood I truly can’t think of anything most of us need more than rest and renewal with Jesus.

From Jen…

Over the last year, our family has tried to incorporate a 24hr Sabbath as a time to rest, spend
extra time with God, and dedicate specific time for our family. (Thank you @johnmarkcomer
and @jeffbethke for the inspiration!)

For me as an Enneagram 3 and a person who can get addicted to being productive, having 24hrs to avoid certain tasks or expectations to achieve goals is so healthy! We tend to do our Sabbath day from Friday night-Saturday night so we have Sunday to prepare for the week, but do whatever is the best fit for your family!

For us, having church be a “bookend” on our Sabbath day (meaning it’s the first event or the last event)
is the best for us. Surprisingly, getting three kiddos to church is not the thing that brings rest for
us in this current season!

Some weekends if I have to work we at least try to block off most of a
day or half of a day to intentionally rest, worship God, and take a break from our normally daily
grind. There’s something about that shift in mindset that changes the whole day. Just
approaching whatever day you choose to Sabbath as a special occasion changes the whole
experience of the day.

The Hebrew word for Sabbath is a verb that literally means, “to rest from labor.” Notice that it’s
an action word. Rest is not something that will just happen to us. It takes preparation,
thoughtfulness, and intentionality.

We will fill our time with activities, social media, television, and business if we don’t make a plan to rest. This might mean accomplishing certain household tasks during the week, meal planning, and making sure all urgent deadlines are taken care of before Sabbath.

How do you rest when you have little ones in your home?

Here are a few ideas!

1) Turn Off Your Phone:

Yep, I said it. You’d be amazed at how this makes the day feel
different just by this small step!

2) Divide up Kid Duties for Rest Day:

Spend 1⁄3 of the time by yourself (can be alone time or
spend time with a friend) while your spouse/friend/family member watches the kids, flip
flop roles, then spend the last third of the day togehter as a family!

3) Have a Special Meal for Sabbath:

Consider lighting some candles to signal to everyone it is a special day. Change up the meal routine by ordering take-out or by having the person who doesn’t make most of the meals take a stab at dinner. For us, my husband may grill some simple but yummy meat and veggies.

But it could also be a simpler meal like a Charcuterie board.

We have special cups and plates for our Sabbath meal. Just that small change of giving our kiddos special cups had them saying, “Sabbath dinner is my favorite. I love my special Sabbath juice.” (Spoiler alert, it’s just normal apple juice!)

4) Get Outside to Recharge:

Again, another small step but getting some Vitamin D and having a place
where the kids can run around freely makes a difference!

5) Set Boundaries with Chores on Sabbath:

Tell yourself which chores are off the table on Sabbath days.
For me it’s cooking dinner, doing laundry, and any cleaning that entails more than picking
up.

6) Take a Nap:

Anyone else feel guilty about indulging in a nap? We have a free license for
napping on Sabbath days.

7) Spend Extra Time in Your Bible and in Prayer:

There should be no guilt about slowing down and letting productivity cease. Get alone and get quiet. That’s when I can feel the Lord speak to me the most clearly.

8) Have FUN!:

Plan a special activity. Even if it’s something small like going to a coffee shop, exploring a new park, having a family movie night, getting together with friends. Sabbath should be a day that we look forward to!

Whatever brings you life, do it!

Do all of our Sabbaths go perfectly where at the end of the day we feel perfectly content, rested,
and ready to move on to the rest of our week? The answer is no. There can be meltdowns and
kiddos (ok let’s face it, adults, too) who didn’t get the memo that today is supposed to be the
one day of the week where there is total peace and harmony in the household (seems
reasonable, right?)

I am prone to continue working on tasks that could be delayed until later in
the day or tomorrow. I have trouble letting go of things if I didn’t accomplish all of the things on
my to-do list that I felt were necessary to have a clean and comfortable environment for our
Sabbath day.

But that doesn’t mean we don’t keep trying. That’s a lot of the Christian life, right? Moving
towards God in an often messy, slow, and jumbled way.

What matters is that we are continually moving towards Him and redirecting our hearts and minds to His face. God is faithful to meet us where we are, and I think He blesses our small efforts to move closer to Him, which is what the Sabbath is all about.

It’s a reminder that we are dependent on God to provide for our needs. We desperately need Him to avoid falling into habits of control, pride, and bitterness that come when we feel like the world (or our household) will crumble if we don’t keep working. That we are not in control as much as we think we are.

Jesus said that, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” (Matthew 2:27)

We need time to stop, rest, and reflect on Jesus.
In a way that is not legalistic, but one that produces JOY in our hearts and homes.

Meet Jen Crowder from She is Emboldened

Hey there! I’m a wife, mama of three kiddos, and physical therapist who specializes in working with individuals with neurological disorders. I am active in my local church through serving in kids ministry and leading a small group with my husband. My passion is showing people the beauty and adventure that comes with following Jesus. I believe in the power of deep, intentional community. I believe in creating a family culture centered on a common mission and purpose is the way to thrive in your household. One of the other things I get excited about is teaching others how to read the Bible and apply it to their lives. In my spare time, I love getting in a tough workout with friends, going for a long run, being on the water, and spending time with my family.

More about She is Emboldened

The name She Is Emboldened is twofold. It represents that any of my confidence and security in who I am comes through my identity in Christ. The second meaning comes from the goal of SIE. It’s to fill you with courage through our writing, resources, and community. I hope that after being part of this community, you are marked more by boldness and less by fear and anxiety.

www.sheisemboldened.com

How to Take a Sabbath Day with Small Kids

How do you rest when you have little ones in your home?