Rechargeable Batteries

It was great when rechargeable batteries were invented!  It seems a lot cheaper to recharge than to just keep buying new ones.  We humans need to recharge also.  We can't keep going and going without rest, going on forever without a break, "burning the candle at both ends," as the old folks used to say.

Having goals is good, working hard is good, but we all need to relax and regroup.  What happens if we don't take time for this?  We may get really grumpy, we may get depressed, and our immune system will decline thereby making us more vulnerable to catch passing germs.

I've got an idea that most of us are way, way overscheduled, and so are our children.  But what should we do?  It's hard to say, "No!"  But we must!  Years ago, I actually had to write "No!" on a piece of paper and put it on my phone (the land line you had to go to instead of carrying it around with you! - remember the long, squiggly cords?).  It helped.

Besides our regular commitments, there are so many interesting events in our cities and so many fun places to explore. We have to make choices.  I had a subscription to a series of concerts with my youngest daughter when she was at home.  We totally enjoyed it. But now I love the freedom of choosing just several a year and really relishing them.

In high school choir, we learned to sing all of Handel's Messiah.  It was very challenging and quite exhilarating to sing.  I hadn't attended a performance of The Messiah for many years until about two Christmases ago.  The singers were outstanding and put their hearts into it.  It was so beautiful, it was almost physically pleasurable to my ears!  Tears came to my eyes.  So I've vowed to space out my concerts, attend fewer, and enjoy them more.  Being immersed in all this music certainly recharges my outlook.

I love when the local schools have a 'snow day.'  Most meetings in town are cancelled.  It gives us a 'breather' to just stay home.  I understand that everyone doesn't feel this way.  When I worked at a paying job, we were told, as far as snow days, "NO excuses.  Be here or you won't get paid and you can't take a vacation day."  I was a nurse - we had to show up.  Mothers with children at home have to get out all the snow gear so their kids can play outside.  Mine never wanted to come in.  But I would make them hot chocolate and they came in for that.

Today, April 15th, I woke up to snow!  We don't usually have snows this late.  I had different concerns: would the snow kill all the blooming tulips and daffodils?  Would it bother all the pretty tree blossoms?

How do you recharge?

Lord God, if you can rest after creating the universe, so can we, we who are so busy in our own little universe!  Don't let us forget - especially on your day, Sunday!

Happy, Happy Easter today!