A Day of Rest

How I did: It was an interesting experiment yesterday.  In my effort to focus more on the solutions to issues than to grumble, murmur, or complain about them I realized that you have to think about the solution prior to opening your mouth and complaining.  In order to make sure that 80% of your time is spent on the solution you really have to limit the time you complain. Basically, you state the problem and then let the complaining go and you begin the journey of finding the solution.  

Another tip is to chose someone who will listen to the issue and then encourage you to move forward.  An interesting observation: men do not really want to listen to the problems (I know because I live with men), but lean more towards finding the solution.  It used to annoy me when they didn't want to listen to my complaints and would tell me to let it go.  Now I see that it is their way of pushing me off the issue and on to the solution. It's too bad that I didn't see this earlier, it would have saved me some complaining about them!    

Yesterday was not filled with a lot of issues (I'm so thankful for that), but the issues that did come up were not as burdensome as they would have been had I focused on them all day. It took some effort to not complain so much, I had to remind myself of the goal a few times, but as soon as I got back on track the problem seemed to get solved faster.  Faster solutions, less complaining, I would say that my experiment definitely was a success and my positive attitude was enhanced!

In my efforts to continue building my positive attitude on this Sabbath Day I did a little research on the importance of taking a day of rest.

Scripture: God Designed Rest from Labor Genesis 2:2-3

 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had ^amade; and he ^brested on the seventh day from all his ^cwork which he had made.

 And God blessed the ^aseventh day, and ^bsanctified it: because that in it he had ^crested from all his work which God ^dcreated and made.

He even commanded that we rest Exodus 20:8-10

Remember the ^asabbath day, to keep it ^bholy. ^aSix days shalt thou ^blabour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy ^astranger that is within thy gates:

Everyone needs rest Exodus 23:12

Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the ^aseventh day thou shalt ^brest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.

I think it is interesting that God talks about rest from the very first book in the scriptures and that He emphasizes it's importance by making it a commandment.  That says something to me about how important it should be to me. 

Christ was a great example of taking time to rest Mark 6:31

And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a ^adesert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no ^bleisure so much as to eat.

Rest is a necessity.  It's a scriptural principle that all creatures must rest.

Quote: 

Rest when you're weary. Refresh and renew yourself, your body, your mind, your spirit. Then get back to work.

Ralph Martson

I love that quote.  I can picture God saying that to me! And who am I not to keep his commandments?! 

There are weeks when I wish that I could wear a Do Not Disturb sign everyday because I feel overwhelmed with life.  I am not a happy person when I don't get my rest.  I think this sign would be appropriate for those days:

At least I am willing to warn people about the consequences of my not resting and the impending attitude that comes with it!  And so I have found my goal for the day.

My goal today: Refresh and renew my body, mind and spirit so that I can get back to work tomorrow with a healthy, happy attitude!