Sparkle Schoolhouse

March Tips for Creating a Day of Rest

In SparkleLand, the Day of Rest has been under construction for several weeks. I don’t know about you, but it is certainly raising some questions for us. It’s not always easy to be clear about what is restful for a whole family! But let us encourage you to keep at it. There are sure to be some duds along the way for your family, just as there are for Martin and Sylvia’s family. Perfection isn’t the goal — and the process of learning to rest together is worth the effort.

This month, Martin and Sylvia’s family has been considering the nature of work. What is work? When is something work and when is something fun? Or, as Sylvia complains, “Work is fun and fun is work.” If your family is anything like theirs, it might be a good time to snuggle up with a bowl of buttered popcorn and have a heart-to-heart chat. You might like to take a few notes during the conversation.

Here are a few questions to get you started:

• What kinds of work bring you joy?
• What are some things that are fun for others in the family, but that feel like work to me? And are there any ways to make those things more fun for me?
• Are there some things that feel like fun to me, but are more like work for others? How can I be sensitive to that?
• We liked Momma’s rule: “Work is okay if it’s fun for us and we do it together.” What kinds of work are fun to do as a family?

Martin and Sylvia’s family learn that some kinds of work can bring relaxation and restoration. One of our favorite “rules for rest” at our house comes from Dallas Willard, who wisely advised people to “ruthlessly eliminate hurry” from their lives. We find that we can enjoy practically anything as a family if we listen to each other, pay attention to what we’re working on, and take plenty of time.

Enjoy your restful March days!

Listen to the first free story HERE and read more about getting started with a Day of Rest.

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