What's my problem, anyways?

Exodus 20:11

For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Exodus 31:15

For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death.

Rest. Sabbath. You’d think this would be celebrated high and low in our hurried culture of overwork. But even we as believers shake our heads in disbelief when we hear it. Who has time to take a Sabbath? In a word? We all do. We all need to. We are COMMANDED to, for heaven’s sake!
I heard a song today by a Christian artist, Lance Odegard, in which he asked God to help him to be content being the ‘moon’ since God is the ‘sun’. God is the centre, and we reflect his glory. Ok, that makes sense except that we want to pretend we are the SUN! We believe God is the boss, but we often live as though we are. Our little kingdoms we try to control.
I believe that is the core of why we find Sabbath taking so difficult. It is a day we are reminded to put aside our need to be in control, to work and provide in order to remind ourselves that it is God who runs the world, it is God who provides for our needs through our ability to work and our having a job at all. It is God who makes life work.
That’s hard to believe when stated that way.
Will my laundry get done if I take a Sabbath? Will there be groceries? Let’s listen to this verse that deals with this exact line of thought…
Exodus 16:22-24 (New International Version)
22

On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much—two omers [a] for each person—and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses. 23 He said to them, "This is what the LORD commanded: 'Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.' "
24 So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it.

(which usually happened if they tried to stockpile the manna – another example of how God helped them to obey his command!)
Planning ahead. Being intentional to ensure all the jobs get done other times so I can take a day off – a day to play, to dance or to sit and play boardgames. Who would like a day off cooking? Cleaning?
ME!
Am I willing to move things around so I’m “ALLOWED” to do this? Well, I’m certainly allowed…no reason to feel guilty since it was God’s idea…but will I?
We have to wrestle with why I choose the bondage to work (as the people in exile had no choice but to work 7 days a week!) instead of embracing the freedom from slavery that God gives me.
Just a thought….

contentment

ok, this subject is not something i can claim much knowledge about. It's like reading a book about travelling in Europe and not having been there. yes, that's about right. But just because i haven't experienced a lot of it, doesn't mean i don't crave it. It's like wanting patience, but not being sure you want to go through the things that produce it in our lives...
Contentment was described to me once as being a traveller bound for Holland, with visions of all that Holland has. Packing for Holland and being excited for the vacation there. But once off the plane, to discover one is in France instead. Oh, i'm sure France has it's lovely things, but one's heart was set on Holland. Contentment is choosing to be pleased with being in France, despite 'wanting' Holland.
So what does that have to do with me? any of us?
We all had some idea where we were headed in life - perhaps in a 5 year plan. But where i find myself today is not what i'd imagined. In many ways, it is perhaps better than the original plan. But sometimes it is not. Yes, we got used to it, but it can leave us with the gnawing sense that things didn't turn out right. what to do? The easy path is to be cranky - whether visibly or not. Discontent. Restless. Unhappy. But is this leading me any closer to the contentment i had imagined in Holland? Can contentment be found in France? Can i decide to love where i am simply because it is where i am?? Where i've been placed...
We face a few decisions in these moments. Sometimes, we choose to decorate our world with Holland reminders- things that keep the dream alive, if you please. What does that look like? When a serious injury sidelines my hockey/baseball/(insert your situation here), and the dream is out of touch, do i still think and dream about it all the time? Or can i turn lemons into lemonade and coach someone, turn my change-of-plans into good?
Other times, we pretend that it doesn't matter, that we are 'fine' and we bury the hurt - perhaps it squeaks out in angry words to our families? (ouch) While we think we have 'dealt with it', are we lying to ourselves and hurting those we love most?

I don't know about you, but its probably a good thing to stop and reflect once in a while - where is the direction of my life taking me? is it somewhere i want to go? What path am i on? what kinds of thoughts occupy my mind as i commute, relax or rest?
St. Augustine said,"Indeed, man wishes to be happy even when he so lives as to make happiness impossible."
Are the choices i am making taking me to more and more joy, gratitude and peace, or am i chasing a dream that no longer has meaning for me?
I'm trying to concentrate on living in the moment, right here and now. Trying to stop worrying about tomorrow and learning to see the gifts of God, however small they might appear, in the moment they are given.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer said it well..."We do not complain of what God does not give us; we rather thank God for what he does give us daily. And is not what has been given enough?"
So i'm starting to be thankful for air in my lungs (clean Canadian air, thanks so much!), the mind to think thoughts, the heart to love those around me, food for nourishment, clothes to wear and so on. Important things if you don't have them!
baby steps....and with the help of God and his Spirit, i will try to live in the 'now' and leave the future in his hands...
now that oughta give me peace already!!