Sabbath Trending High

It is smokin hot today in San Rafael, California.  90 degrees is unseasonably warm - in a place that is bone dry.  From my hotel window I can see the shades of brown overtaking the ever hopeful greens on the hillsides.  The palm trees around the pool look pretty healthy, but the pool isn't seeing much traffic this afternoon.  One old soul sits in the shade reading his paper, but everyone else is out at meetings, or sightseeing at Stinson Beach, or enjoying their room's amenities.

I opted to stay in today so I could hit "send" on my last DASD paper by noon.  I had until the 15th, but truth be told, I should have finished it a month ago.  Interestingly, I found myself resisting the subject matter, and needed the deadline to push me along.  Finishing ahead of deadline almost feels virtuous. Better be careful, or pride will surely follow!

By choosing the DASD/DMin program at SFTS, I consciously chose a program that takes longer to complete, because of the DASD component - a component that must be completed over a three-year cycle  (no shortcuts).  The time is needed for formation - it is not just a matter of learning the material; it is a matter of living the material.  That cannot be rushed.

But with the last paper sent, all my requirements for the DASD are completed - finished - and every  moment of the three years was needed, and was worth it.  I am glad I did not shorten the formation process.  Every moment was used.

I can understand why some folks stop once they compete the DASD - it is certainly the most important part of this journey.  I have 3-two week electives remaining, and my written project.  If the house sells quickly, I may do one of the electives remotely this summer.  Otherwise, forward progress waits for another year.  Although I use my DASD training in every aspect of my ministry,  it feels (profoundly) like the best coursework I have ever undertaken for myself.  The written project at the end of the DMin - that will be my gift to the greater church.

Having sung the praises of the DASD program, it does have one challenging side - it never ends.  I hit "send" with the paper, took a deep breath, did a mental celebratory happy dance, and then started thinking about one of the themes in the paper that required follow-through and implementation:  Keeping Sabbath.

I have never kept Sabbath.  When I have taken my day off, I invariably use it to catch up or get ahead with laundry, housework, and all the zillions of tasks that are part of living in the modern world.  This day in no way resembles a Sabbath - it is definitely a day off.  And between errands and paperwork and all the things I cram into this precious time, there is nothing that resembles rest.  And rarely is there any playtime.  It is just another work day - only the nature of the work changes!

I have made a commitment to begin observing Sabbath - a 24 hr period in which I do not work.  No catching up on the laundry or writing a paper (or blog, for that matter).  No technology - unplugged for 24 hrs.  No TV (most programs give me nightmares).  A time to spend resting, playing, and enjoying God's company.

I suspect that keeping Sabbath is going to be a struggle (work is familiar for me; rest and play are not).  I already know this is going to be one hell of a growing edge.  I suspect that keeping Sabbath will have some positive consequences - increased awareness of God,  greater balance in my life, as well as some stress reduction.  But it is important that I do not keep Sabbath because of the perks - that amounts to using Sabbath for my own ends, which is not all that different from using the day to catch up on laundry.  William McNamara calls the practice of keeping Sabbath time "holy leisure," and claims that we modern church folk are terrible at it.  Which is all the more reason for committing to keeping Sabbath.

When I mentioned my Sabbath commitment to my son, he shared that NPR has been doing segments on Sabbath keeping, and that it is a hot topic right now.  Wow - it is rare that I am ahead of a popular trend.  Who would have thought that Sabbath keeping would become trendy - how God must smile.  It takes us thousands of years to benefit from wisdom freely shared long ago - maybe we will get it this time.

Do you keep Sabbath?

With fear, trepidation and excitement at trying something new,
Kim