Stopping! Relaxing! Chilling out! Listening to God! Being free to be! Enjoying the wonders of creation!  All phrases that could mean the same thing – but essentially needed in order for us humans to keep in balance.

How amazing that God created the world and then when he made humans he took a rest. He, being our Maker, knows we need that time out, away from the crowd, not in routine but taking in from Him.

We’ve just taken  a few days off and wondered into South Shropshire to a place called Stottesdon where we enjoyed loads of sunshine and the most idyllic bed and breakfast accommodation. The weather was glorious for November and we were able to take walks and look around the little country towns and villages.  We didn’t even see one large supermarket for the whole of the trip – that’s Britain at it’s best!

Would recommend the pattern of 6 weeks at work and taking one week off which is the routine I use while working on Diamond Books.  Also, the pattern of 6 days working and a day off works well, too – but then our Creator suggested it so it would work very well.  Whatever, he asks us to do always has a good outcome even if the process is sometimes difficult.

God is so interested in our growth and development more than we realise.  On holiday, I felt God impressing on me that I was in a millstone situation whereby God is grinding the self out of me so that I can learn to abide in Him more readily and say ‘no’ to self and selfishness.  Knowing what He is about makes it easier to swallow when the grinding wheel moves!

Let’s allow Him to mould us and guide us concerning our holiday times.  Even if we can’t get away we can put our feet up and read and just be.  I often do jigsaw puzzles with classical music in the background to relax at such times.  Making cards with pressed wild flowers in another pastime I love doing to relax although I haven’t done this for years!  Then there’s the knitting and watching a good film.  Whatever you do may His rest be yours as we seek to honour Him with our lives laid before Him.