At dusk, I stand behind glass doors, staring into the garden from the dining room, a voyeur to the pleasure spreading across the faces of my husband H and son Harrison. Their satisfaction from a simple task is a wonder and a revelation.

As powerful sprays of water pulse from a wand, peeling back layers of London grit, the hard surface shifts chameleon, from smoky gray to fifty shades of terra cotta. Joy as the outcome of transformation in our small walled garden is all the assurance I need. Power washing is a household chore I will never have to tackle again in my lifetime.

Who am I to create sadness among my people for performing that chore in their absence?

The power of rest experienced in summertime is the washing away of the detritus of life that often clings to us in busyness. And rest that lasts beyond a season requires peeling back layers that incorrectly color perspective.

You’re Invited

If you are characterized by hurry and hustle during the school year, I want to empower you to make rest realistic from now through the Advent season.

Beginning this Friday, I will be writing weekly Sabbath Society letters on a new theme that I pray will help you discover a rhythm of rest that lasts beyond a two-week vacation.

As we arrive on the doorstep of autumn, our chins are pulled back to the New Year. Remembering a hopeful clean slate filled with new disciplines and opportunities, only to be deeply disappointed by February.

Think of September as the hand resting on the hip of autumn and the voice of a gentle grandmother – accepting, loving, wise, and warning. Handle the remaining days of the year with care, give thanks for what you have, stop moaning about what you lack, and remember, regrets don’t allow you to move forward.  

Spiritual transformation comes without an expiration date because your formation is a lifetime process of being formed into His likeness. Without action formation turns into stagnation.

Ironically, Sabbath rest requires preparation on your part in order to realize the progress Peace makes within you.

If you want to move from functioning on auto-pilot, from weary and overworked to peacefully present, I’m offering an opportunity to reboot.

Why You Need to Respond Now

Here are a few reasons why you might want to join the Sabbath Society community right now.

You want to function from the deep well that is your soul rather than a laundry list of shoulds.

You long to make rhythms of rest a reality beyond a two-week holiday.

You want the ease of summertime and a slower pace of life to continue.

You want to be present and less distracted with the people you love.

You are already worn out with no let-up in sight.

Your journal for September is already creating anxiousness.

My fervent prayer for us this autumn and winter is that I will read your responses to my letters with a smile of satisfaction on my face. Let’s take Sabbath from a chore to be performed to a joy to be lived each week; a fresh foundation that lasts for more than just a season.

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