You see, my working week (in that I include studies) is from Friday to Tuesday. Before you all jump in and ask if I’m available next Wednesday for coffee…I’m not, let me explain.

There is more to my “weekend” than just simply having a day-off. I rest. To most people, this is pretty normal and you don’t think too much about it, right? Probably not.

Most people have their weekends just filled with more stuff that they don’t really get a break. They work 5 days a week and then they do something else for their weekends and end up just as tired when Monday comes around again. Sound familiar?

After learning the hard way and having a couple of crisis situations in the past, I have a day-off or as Jews/Christians may otherwise know it, a Sabbath rest. To the person of Judeo-Christian background would understand, it is a day that is not simply to slack off but remember what life is really about and it’s not you and me. It’d God.

I don’t do it because I have to. I don’t do it because it makes me any more religious or wins me any brownie points. I do it because there is a point in it. That is that our bodies, our minds and our spirits can rest. Some of you might be asking me, isn’t that what church is for? Well, yes. Except, in my case, church is “work” for me. It’s what I do as a livelihood, so it’s not exactly a time where I can rest.

All religious/Jewish/Christian stuff aside…let’s get back to the point of rest. People just don’t do it enough any more. Very few people get the sleep they need and even if they do, it’s probably still not enough. Why? The body, mind and spirit needs more than just some shut-eye to recover. It needs to be detached from the things that drain the energy each and every day.

In my case, I don’t do any study. I don’t do any work. I don’t catch up with people (which is one of my greatest temptations). I don’t do anything that I would normally do on any other day. It’s a day where I am number 1. Not in the sense that I spoil myself stupid, but I make sure that I get some real quality rest so that I can continue to do what I need to do during the remainder of the week.

Thursday, the other day of my weekend, is my catch-up day. I meet with people, I cram my assignments, all that jazz…but Wednesday, with some very, very small exceptions is a day where I make sure I’m recharged for the days ahead. If you know what my schedule is like, you know it’s not easy for me to sacrifice any time, let alone an entire day. Yet, here I am, I testify that a day of rest will do wonders for the body, mind and spirit of a person.

Maybe it’s something you need to do. Just a small challenge, it’ll be hard, but take a real day-off and just rest.