It used to be Thursday.
Now its… good question…
In my previous role as a pastor of a church I knew that Thursdays I would not go to the office, not hang out with most church people and spend the time doing relaxing things that I didn’t have time for at other points in the week. Usually it meant leaving the hills and going surfing, visiting family, friends and eating out.
People didn’t ring on Thursdays and I rarely if ever worked on a Thursday.
In this new setting I don’t have a set day off. In fact I just don’t have a day off at all. Sometimes that disturbs me because I do see the sabbath principle as essential – but how do you distinguish between work and play when in this environment?
If I go fishing or surfing with someone from the community is that work or recreation?.. Or both?… If we have people round to dinner is that work or friendship?… Or both?… If I try to take Saturday as a day off does that mean I shouldn’t hang around people who might be ‘work’?
There are many blurry lines in this setting and for the most part I’m ok with it as I’m not feeling run down or too busy. But some days I do feel like we need to get away from it all. Some days I feel like we need to just get away as the four of us with no one else around.
We got asked to go on holidays with some neighbours recently – great – we love the people and would have a great time!
But when you’re a missionary where does work and play separate? Do they need to?
How do you create sabbath spaces?