grab a book

Last night I did something absolutely marvelous. It was a bit off character for me but nonetheless felt quite lovely.

I didn’t do anything.

Or more specifically, I rested. I decided to simply grab a book.

After getting home from work, I made a quick decision to grab a book and read. I sat at the edge of my bed, staring at the many books I’d like to dig into. I considered each, but felt my gaze lower to the bottom shelf. The bottom shelf holds my non theological books I simply read for fun, aka the books I never read.

My eyes scanned through until I saw one in particular. The Princess.

I grabbed it, walked to the living room, opened my front door, sat on the couch, opened a coca-cola, bundled myself in a blanket and started to read.

I read for the next hour and a half until I had to chat with a friend. I chatted, but once we were done, I wandered back to the couch for more. As I sat and grabbed the book again, now enjoying wine instead of the long-finished coca-cola, the idea of a bath occurred.

Hm. That sure sounded delightful.

So I walked around to find Epsom salts, my pi’s, a freshly poured drink and grabbed the same book I was now a hundred pages into.

For the next two hours or so I sat and I read, literally soaking in the rest.

I was ready to be done the bath and few minutes before finishing the book. Yep, almost 300 pages in just a couple hours.

I’d written on instagram earlier:

Sometimes I think it's important to grab a book you've read at least ten times, one that won't teach you anything, and that isn't on your goals list. Too settle under your favourite blanket, drink coca-cola, and let your heart rest for awhile. Anybody agree?

I think everybody agreed. Or at least the comments and double tapped hearts made me think so.

Self-care is such a buzz word. I always always always hate buzz words. Especially when I feel like a buzz word is for a particular group, self-care being for moms.

Yet as a single girl, with a fully schedule, who loves people and community, serving and all things gospel, rest matters. Self-care matters.

I meant what I said when I said: read a book that won’t teach you anything and that isn’t on your goals list.

I’m always working to make things count, to make them matter.

When I go for a walk with the baby, I walk really fast so I can count it as exercise.

When the baby is in the bath, I’m lying on the floor beside her doing sit-ups and push ups and squats.

I fill up every minutes of everyday with purpose. I read books and blogs and I think the things I do are good. I think they’re from a pure heart that is seeking righteousness.

But Jesus rested. He really and truly did. Jesus rested amidst storms and sought solitude from a world that desperately needed Him to offer them Himself.

And then, at the proper time, He did offer Himself. Fully and completely, in the biggest act of grace and compassion the world had ever seen.

I can’t claim to do the things He did, and I hope never to have to bear a cross. But I do want to seek first His Kingdom.

And I think, well, I’d be willing to say know instead of think, that I’ll find His kingdom when I seek His presence for my rest.

Which is exactly what I did as I read The Princess last night. A book I’d read maybe even a dozen times, that surprised me with its sweet teachings of the rest and grace we find in Christ.

Self-care. What do you think? Valuable? Buzz word? Am I off in my perspective? I hope not. But let me know your thoughts on self-care.