Glorious, Unplanned Sabbath

My Friday, April 27th, turned into a glorious, unplanned Sabbath. And I am posting on the blog about it because I am so full of the thrill and joy of it, I have to tell someone! It’s a little longer than usual, but hang in there cause God revealed to me the Isaiah 58:13-14 verse pictured above the next morning (this morning, right before I posted this). I don’t recall knowing it before and it blew me away.

The day started how I expected - I didn’t have work, so I slept in and laid in bed til 9:30-10ish. Took a shower. Fixed up the one final exam that I’d already written. It’s officially done. One more to go. That was all very much part of "the plan" for the day. 

Yes, I was so surprised at myself that
 I took a picture of my food!

But then, I got a craving for Golden Rye Grille and I went. It’s a quaint, local diner that I love and it’s right down the road from my house, but they’re only open til 2pm, so I don’t get to go much. When my food came, I realized that I always seek out company for things like this. I throw out invites and if no one can come, I don’t go. It would never have occurred to me before in certain settings like this, that if I wanted to do something, I could just go do it. The fact that I was at the restaurant and had ordered before I realized that I hadn’t even thought to invite someone? This may not seem like much to some of you, but it’s big for me. I’m not good at being alone and God is showing me in all the little ways what’s good about being alone - because being alone means alone with Him. And what better place to be? 

After lunch I knew I really needed to go home and work on my other final, but better things were calling. I literally felt the pull to follow. So, instead of going back home, I went for an hour+ long worship drive. I started doing these drives since renovating our house in the Summer of 2016. During the renovations, my husband and I, three teens, and three dogs were living in a two bedroom apartment and I had to find ways to escape! A worship drive for me means I get in my car and crank up the worship music through my phone, and make a huge circuit, driving along the outskirts of the surrounding areas: usually Columbiana, East Palestine,  Mohawk, Poland, and back home to Springfield. Having lived here my whole life, I know the main roads and a number of back roads that journey through and connect these towns.

This time, however, once through East Palestine, I ended up in PA on a road I didn’t know. I figured if all else failed I could use my phone to get back. But at a stop sign I saw something familiar - a sign for PA-551 - and I knew even though the immediate area was unfamiliar, I could find my way back on 551. You see, 551 is long, but it runs through the school district where I teach, so heading North I had to hit familiar territory eventually. Turns out the whole time I was in a little town called Darlington, which I’m familiar with. I didn’t know the side I was on, but I was closer to what I did know than I realized.

And despite the booming worship music, the thought in my head comes through clearly, “See, you don’t have to know where you’re headed, just be alert for the signs of Me and follow.” Whoa. Side note here: Intentionally looking for His signs to follow is what I’ve desperately tried to do to sort out the hardness of life the past couple months and life in my head has started to sort itself out - I feel healthy and free. And life outside my head is about to take a new turn too...more on that another time. Back to my day.

My drive ended at my kids’ school to pick up my son - something I never get to do cause I’d usually be at work. The smile that broke out on his face when I pulled up was priceless. Came home to fill up the bird feeders and inspect all the newly sprouting plants. My husband and I transplanted them from the old house last summer and I’ve had my fingers crossed they lived. Everything seems to be growing and I was excited to find the new Magnolia tree we planted full of blooms! I've wanted a Magnolia tree for a long time.

I let the chickens out of their coop and into the backyard, but only four or five and the rooster came out and they didn’t go far. They’re still adjusting to being outside after being raised in our house the past four months, but they were so much fun in the yard. I doubt many people let their chickens out for the purpose of playing with them, but I do. They climbed up on me and sat in the grass, sunbathing next to me. Even the rooster came over to be pet a bit. After that, I spent the remaining couple of afternoon hours on the couch in my library, with my dogs, reading and watching my favorite woodpecker eat the suet right outside the window. Also a pair of cardinals, a robin, and more finches than I’ve ever had come and go. And I couldn’t help but wonder how I got so lucky to live here with so much good stuff - so much beauty - around me.

My oldest daughter came home with reports of a day well spent on her own, enjoying friends, studying while having lunch, and coming to the end of her college semester with finals. My middle child, also a daughter, came home with a congrats letter in her pocket for making Flagline. We knew she would - it was the highlight of her year this past year. And next year she is a Senior. An acquaintance of mine - who my daughter doesn’t know - messaged me to say she was one of the judges and my daughter did a great job! My heart swelled with pride and love for my kids. 

The most wonderful man on earth

The day ended with my husband and I attending our 15th consecutive Mohawk Prom. The one time every year you can count on me wearing a dress! Maybe even make-up. And usually some kind of after Prom hang out with friends. But it’s a tradition we love with people I care about and spend a lot of time with. The community in which I teach is as much home as the one in which I live - and they are conveniently neighboring towns, very much alike and split only by the Ohio/PA state line, but not much else. A good number of this year’s Seniors I’ve had in class at some point, half have had me two years, and a smaller portion had me for three of their four years of English. I love these kids and I’m going to miss them...one of them being my own nephew (who, of course, I’ll still see, just not every day like I have for three years now...he's headed off to college).

My nephew and I

And for the umpteenth time this day I stop to wonder at how amazingly blessed I am. And that my most amazing blessings are in the simple, every day joys of life. Over the past twenty years so much good stuff has taken up residence in my life and although I’ve been generally aware of some of it, I’m seeing it all and more with new eyes today. 

With God’s eyes. Doesn’t get better than that. 

Note: This morning, when I was about to post about my day yesterday, I first read through my email and there was one from author Shelly Miller who sends out encouragement and such through her Sabbath Society. Her email followed the same lines as my post here; she had plans for her day, but because she stopped and listened to God’s nudge, it became something else - a glorious, unplanned Sabbath (my words, not hers). The verse pictured above is from her email and her explanation - which thrills me because I totally experienced what it says - is pictured below. It’s confirmation - I did experience what I thought it was. All I can say is, when God asks you to press pause on your day, it’s worth it.