It was creation. God and an angel were sitting on the edge of the universe just enjoying the scenery. God took a deep breath and said. “Look at all the beautiful things I have made. These things are good.”
“I have wrapped them in a 24-hour period. Half will be light, half will be dark and it will keep repeating itself forever.”
“Wow,” the angel said, “What are you going to do next?”
God thought for a minute and said, “I think I’ll call it a day.”
Not a bad name for the 24-hour period and not a bad idea. If God took time after creation to “call it a day” maybe we should occasionally do the same.
Years ago darkness would drive people from the fields. They would come home take a shower and spend the evening with the family. They did not bring the field or the cows or the chickens into the house. They called it a day.
Back then, men and women would come home from work. They couldn’t drag the office or their coworkers with them. They turned out the lights, locked the doors and came home. They called it a day.
With today’s technology, we drag the office, the field, the cows, and all the worries of life with us everywhere we go. We bring them to the table and even the bathroom. We even bring them to bed. We never call it a day!
No wonder we are so exhausted, overcome with stress, distress, depression and anxiety. We need to follow the example of the Creator and…
Call it a day!
Try to do it once a day. At least do it once a week. Take time to rest, recharge. If it was good enough for the Creator it might be good enough for you.
Oh by the way – the boy in the picture above is my grandson, Preston. He calls it a day two or three times a day! I really like that idea!
Ancient Proverb: Man who burns candle at both ends… burns out
Are you able to unplug from the technical busyness of life?
What is your secret? [reminder]
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28-30 The Message)
Comments
Retirement doesn’t help in the least. The reason is really simple. When we are employed we always say that the projects will have to wait until the weekend. As soon as we retire the week becomes 6 Saturdays and a Sunday, perpetual weekend means perpetual work on that honey do list that we ignored for all those years of employment.
SO very Amen!
Love this, Ken! I have to relearn how to do this at an earlier hour.
This is a great idea. Technology has so taken over our lives. I am still in the dark ages with my cell phone that is just a pay as you go phone that just makes phone calls. I see so many people that are more in contact with their cell phone, I-pads, etc. than with their family. They have a stronger relationship with them than they do their family. My husband and I go out to dinner and always seeing families together, but each of them have some device they are texting or reading on. So many people now can’t have a face to face conversation as most of their contact is through their devices.
I agree that I am as busy or busier than I was before retirement, but now I can choose when I do a lot of those activities and I can relax if I am tired.
I “call it a day” by coloring in the evening. It is one of the most relaxing things a person can do, while still being creative. In fact, I enjoy it so much, my husband bought me a monthly subscription for a coloring book series for Christmas!
I think about my grandkids and our visit in December to Disney World. It helps me relax.
My new year’s resolution this year was to take a nap every Sunday when I get home from church. That is one I have been faithful to fulfill. Also, every evening I wind down at 7, watch a little TV (picky about shows though–trying to find clean, mindless entertainment is hard-lol) then I go to sleep very early to arise early the next morning to be alone with God, write and then off to work. Idea. If you had your own TV show that aired at 7 pm, you would be the top of my list to watch.
Hi Ken!
God actually gives us a full 24 hours each week for “Calling it a day” because He loves us so much! He even made it part of the 10 Commandments! Ex 20:8-11. The Sabbath isn’t just for the Jews, it’s a memorial of Creation. God is a family man who desires, more than we ever could, to spend quality, uninterrupted time with His family! The first full day of Adam’s & Eve’s lives was Sabbath. I’ve been a Sabbath keeper (sundown Friday to sundown Saturday) for 27 years, and I can’t begin to tell you the blessings this has brought into my life. I certainly agree that we need to leave the cows in the field each evening, but the Sabbath is God’s oasis in the middle of our rat race. Blessings!!!
Having the Ministry in the house as well as the Radio broadcast from the computer.has made it hard to call it a day and after a while and at 73 Yes good advice call it a day, but I fined it hard to do when it is staring me in the face in every room. :0)