Are you, like me, cramming as much into life as possible? I’ve always had this tendency but sometimes it feels like putting gallons of water into a pint glass (yes, I’m of the old school that still doesn’t recognise these in metric) . Somehow as Robin Williams said in ‘Dead Poets Society’ – “Seize the Day” to me this seems to resonate well. However, there are pitfalls.

I love variety and I think that this is as good as a rest but sometimes what I try to pack into life is beyond what God wants.  We can have good intentions and motives but if God isn’t in what we do then it is just a waste of time and won’t be rewarded (not that we need to aim for a reward).

In this busy world that our children get born into, we need those oases of peace and rest to recharge and to get balance and order.  That’s why, I’m convinced that our creator God gave us one day a week to recuperate and not have to work.  I must admit I love Sundays even though sometimes they get crammed with church and having people round to see us or just bits to see to.  How we need to introduce this pattern to children.

God’s order for his creation is always best as he knows us all so well.  If God needed to take a rest after his eventful week of creation at the beginning of time how we need to follow his example.  Of course, children love routines and getting into this different rest day and not cramming in what we usually fit into a day is great for them, too. Encourage them to have a look at Book 1 of ‘The Creation Series’  – called ‘God’s World’ -and see how God made everything and then took a rest.

Cramming as much into a sweet jar might be fun but the end product of actually eating all the sweets isn’t that beneficial although nice while its happening! It’s the same with cramming so much into our lives that we hardly have time to breathe.  When was the last time you took time to smell a rose or talk face to face with a child or phone a long lost friend? “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10) God recommends.  How about you?