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the number 7 caught my eye

 

 

I approached the door of Lifeway Christian Store to go in quickly and pick up a wedding shower gift as I knew exactly what I would purchase but … I know now that it was no mistake that in March, just after our Pastor had preached regarding our Rich in Generosity ministry focus that my eyes landed down a shelf or two to a book with the number 7 on the front of it.

I was intrigued as I had not seen a book title named with a number. As I often do I looked at the back cover, front cover and the table of contents. I sat down even though this was to be a quick trip to the store to buy a gift and paged through the pages. Oh my!, I found myself not setting the book down other than on the counter at the register to purchase. I went home and began to read.

The entire book has radically changed my thinking regarding stuff but the chapter that impacted my life significantly was Month Seven stress. It’s funny ‘cause generally I do not consider myself a stressful person. In fact most of the time I am fairly relaxed, with a blood pressure lower than normal. What was significant about this chapter is that even though it was titled stress it was more about rest; intentional resting.

I am a person who takes the Sabbath seriously or as some of my kids would say religiously. I don’t shop, go to movies, do laundry, clean the house etc. on Sundays. Rather most Sundays I take an intentional rest much of what I follow is from the book For God’s Sake Rest. What I loved about chapter seven was the seven daily pauses.

I read the book in the Spring of 2012 but I waited until this summer to try the seven daily pauses. I decided at the beginning of June to set my alarm on my phone for the seven pauses. Because I do not teach in the summer I felt this would be a good time to practice the pauses. I then took the chapter suggested readings from the Psalms and figured out beneficial times for me to practice the seven pauses. I wrote the times and readings down on a 3 x 5 card and placed the card in my small Bible that fits in my purse. The times I set my alarm were 5 am (which is usually when I wake up), 10 am, 12 noon, 4:30, 7 pm, 9:30, and I usually do not put the 12 midnight time in my phone. Even though I did not want to wake up on a regular basis at 12 midnight I did set the alarm on my phone for this timeframe for the first couple of days so I would get the full impact of the pauses. I loved the fact that I could stop and pick up my Bible and read and reread the Psalms that Jen had written in the book.

This exercise was life changing. You see, I am a person who has a daily quiet time each morning. But after my morning time I often do not look at the word throughout the day. This practice began a new habit of opening the word and reading it often throughout my day. I loved the practice and fully intend to go back to this chapter often along with the others. I recommend that you not let this chapter be read without practicing the pauses, without stopping to let the Word wash over you, without changing your habits of midnight, dawn, midmorning, noon, midafternoon, early evening and bedtime!

Linking up here tonight:
http://www.incourage.me/category/bloom