Today's sermon at church was really interesting. Wes, the associate pastor at my church, did the sermon because Mike, our senior pastor is in Pakistan (pray for his safety!). I wish I had taken notes, and I even debated writing this post until tomorrow, but I decided against it. I don't know if I can commit to anything tomorrow after the fact.

Anyway, the sermon was on Sundays and what they look like for a Christian. Wes has apparently been researching this for a few years, and although he doesn't think he's got it totally right yet, those four words were kind of his conclusions thus far about what Sundays are for Christians. I have been thinking about what this means for me and these are what have come up with.

Rest:
What does rest mean for me? Is it limiting the number of things I do that I consider work on Sundays? What do I consider as work?
Is it limiting something else I do on Sundays?
Wes mentioned music. Is it limiting my music intake?
What about schoolwork or homework? I already know that I will never take a Sunday class. Is that enough?
What about my internet? Am I so addicted to Facebook that I can't let go of that for a day? Is that was enslaves me and pulls my attention from God? I don't want to, but maybe I do need to take a break from internet (or at least social networking) for Sundays.
But then I wonder, is that enough? Can I or should I do more? Maybe that's a start that is good enough for now.

Reflect:
How can I do this on Sundays more than other times during the week?
Pray more?
Read my Bible more?
Listen to more Christian music?
Is the answer to all three of those yes?
What about taking notes during the sermon to be more actively engaged? I like that idea. Maybe these are all Sunday activities I should be doing.

Refresh:
This is probably the hardest to come up with things for. I understand the concept, but how do I make sure it happens?
I think the answer is knowing why I go to church. Do I go to glorify God? Or do I go for another reason? Am I there to work? Sometimes. Sometimes, I show up without the time to rest (there's that word again...I think it needs to be revisited right about now...) and be with God. I know that's not refreshing. Do I need to cut the extra work I do for others? What about if someone grabs me and asks if I can do nursery because they "just need another helper in there today"? Do I say no? Do I agree to do it? Is it too much work for the Sabbath? It's definitely distracting. It definitely takes away from God. But I'm a work-a-holic with the spiritual gift of service. I do those kinds of things! But is it too much? I don't know the answer to this one yet, since for now, I know that I am supposed to be working at Pathway. But there are six days to work...maybe I need one off.

Reconnect:
This is one I think I already do pretty good at for Sundays. I am a rather bad introvert, so going to church forces me to be with people. It sets my plans for the week and makes times to be with others in a world where I could easily decide to lock myself up in my room and never come out. In this way, it's rejuvinating and refreshing (there's THAT word again! These all seem to connect...). If I have been by myself all week, this breaks the mold and reminds me that there are other people out there and that they actually CARE about me and my well-being (wow, what a novel concept!). What's more, I can remind them I care about them and that I am happy to see tem on this one day a week. It kills me the most when Greysha comes up to me and asks if I can read her the Bible and I say I can't because I have to go work somewhere. That is the WORST! I miss that connection with her because I failed to (say it with me...) REST!

In conclusion, they are all connected and they are all important (yeah, that's my for a conclusion).