So we finally get home, get him introduced to the dog (a couple of sniffs and one big lick), get a few things put away, feed him, feed us…and then what? What’s next? We’re home. We’re on our own and we’re not sure what to do next. I mean there must be something we are supposed to do – something for him – something to him – come on, what’s next? Pretty soon I find myself doing something with him – and it is one of the few he can do really do – rest.
Bridget retreats to our bedroom. For the first time in almost a week she’s able to sleep in our bed and for the first time in almost three months she’s able to sleep on her back (there is nothing like life’s simple pleasures.) Once again the house seems strangely quiet – the only difference is that his time I am not alone. It’s just me and my boy. We make our way to what will become his room. Freshly painted and decorated by his grandparents just a week ago. In the corner of the room sits the first significant piece of furniture we have ever bought (most of the rest of it is stuff we have inherited from others or been given) – the baby glider. This large rocking chair will I am sure become the place where many an hour will be spent in the months to come. With mom asleep in the other room, I assume what is quickly becoming my default position – baby lying on my chest – dad reclined in the chair. (The reclined in the chair part – well let’s just say I’ve had that position down now for some time.)
The widow is open and there is a cool breeze blowing in. I look for something to cover him with and there in the crib next to the glider was the beautiful prayer shawl, hand crafted by a knitting circle at the church. Every stitch of it stitched especially for CJ. Every inch of it prayed over by loving hands. I took the shawl and draped over his back and together we drifted off to sleep.
Perhaps the most frequent piece of advice we have been given by others about the early days of parenthood is this – sleep when he sleeps. Rest when he rests. Rest. Maybe the single unifying theme of the entire scriptures is rest. The more religious word for it is Sabbath but at its core it means to rest. From the very first page of our scriptures God has called people of faith to rest. Rest in all that we have been given. Rest in the sense that we already have enough. Rest in the notion that there are times work can just wait. Rest in the fact that there is nothing we can ultimately do to add to what God has already given us. Rest is the call to be content.
I have to admit I have a hard with rest. I think a lot of people do. So perhaps that is what CJ is going to teach me the most – how to rest. And that’s just we did that first afternnon at home – we rested. With a sink full of dishes – we rested. With laundry to be put away – we rested. With phone calls and emails to return – we rested. We rested together – content. Content with all we have been given – the warmth of home – the love of family – the support of community. We rested together wrapped in the prayers of church ladies (thank God for church ladies) who loved this boy before they ever laid eyes on him. And we rested together in the arms of a God who once upon a time looked out over all of creation and did just the same. As my eyes closed that afternoon I heard these words from the very first Sabbath ever recorded “this is good…this is very, very, good.” And it is.
The practice of Sabbath goes against every grain of contemporary culture, including sometimes, unfortunately, the church.
I believe the issue is not about integrating Sabbath into our already busy lives, but building our lives around Sabbath observance, finding delight and joy in God. (See Isaiah 58:9b-14) Then we will be in a better position to live the rest of our week with proper balance and perspective.
--Susan Lindvall
"How beautiful it is to do nothing, and rest afterwards."
- Spanish Proverb
PS - Granted I think the Sabbath thing is a good thing but maybe my Tigers are taking this resting up thing too seriously. They dropped their 7th of their last 10 last night by losing 5 - 10 to the Bluejays. Sabbath is only one out of every seven boys!
