Nicole’s e-Pistle

November 13, 2024

Hello, friends!

I am writing to you today from home. Last week, I began to experience the joys of Northwestern Georgia’s Autumn allergies, which over the course of the weekend have turned into a minor cold. I wish I could put some sort of romantic spin on it, but I sincerely hope I have not been as generous with my cold germs as I have been in the use of facial tissues!

All that to say, whenever I fall prey to the inconvenience of seasonal colds, I remember that it is my body telling me to slow down and rest. Perhaps you are better at resting than I am. I know many of you are retired, so the day-to-day grind of a profession is no longer part of your routine, but I have also heard from many of you that you find yourselves busier in retirement than you had imagined. If your idea of “rest” involves filling your daily schedule with a different kind of busy-ness than a typical day, you may have missed the point.

For example, last Saturday, Bjorn and the kids and I had a wonderful day off together. We got up early, drove to Atlanta to the Boy Scout Shop, visited a 100-year-old woman from Decatur Presbyterian Church who has finally been able to return to her home after months in various medical facilities, then spent the evening with other friends from DPC at a back-yard cookout. We arrived home around 8:30 on Saturday evening. It was a wonderful day – very enjoyable… but it was not rest.

The past few weeks have been trying for most of us as we anticipated a divisive election season in the wake of the devastation of Hurricane Helene. We can get so caught up in our fears and anxieties, especially when they become reality, that we forget the need to pause and rest. Matthew 11:28-29 says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Are you in a season where you need rest? Are you taking time to simply sit still and have a cup of coffee or tea that is not on-the-go? Can you look at the day ahead of you and truthfully say there is room in the margins to simply relax? Are you finding time to spend with God in prayer or meditation? As we get closer and closer to the holiday season, try to take time to care for yourself and to find ways that you can truly give your body and soul permission to rest… If I can follow my own advice, perhaps next time it won’t require a cold to get my attention!

Until we meet again,