It’s Friday, but I’m already looking forward to my Sunday afternoon nap! Do you know what I mean?
Sunday afternoons are almost sacred to me. I put aside that time to read and then to slip into sweet oblivion for a couple of hours.
I was talking with several family members and friends this past weekend. The topic of naps came up. My son-in-law Stephen joked that Leslie worked hard all week in law school, savored her time with him, but how that Sundays were marked with a Big Red X — for naps.
“We go to church, and then to dinner, and somewhere between the entree and paying the ticket, I see her eyes start to get heavy. She’s already thinking about the ole nap.”
I laughed, realizing that all three of my grown children did the same thing. This truly is a tradition handed down from mom.
“It’s been four Sundays,” I said.
“What?”
“Four Sundays since I had a nap.” It suddenly occurred to me that counting my absence of Sunday naps seemed normal to me–but not so much to the others in the room.
“You’re kidding?” someone said. “You nap every Sunday? I would worry about all the things I was missing. All the things that needed to be done.”
Another concurred. “That’s when I do the lawn, or buy groceries, or clean the house.”
“It’s when I fish,” said another. “Got to get every last second of sunlight, you know.”
Around the room it went. The non-nappers trying to convince the nappers that napping was evil. (Okay, maybe not evil, but wasteful somehow.)
My life has been on fast forward since last September. And 99% of my activities — moving, holidays, deadlines, speaking, weddings, media interviews, graduations–have been wonderful events, and events of choice. But since every weekend has been spent in either a car or an airplane, I’ve tried my best to protect my Sunday afternoons. This past few weeks it has been almost impossible.
When I looked at my calendar on Monday I almost shouted! Nothing on Friday. Nothing on Saturday. Nothing on Sunday! No deadlines. No speaking engagements to prepare. No class to teach. No lessons to grade (I’m a Jerry Jenkins CWG mentor for teen writers). Nada. Zilch. Zero.
So, what will I do? I saw a flyer in town that says that my new city of six months has a wonderful Farmer’s Market. I plan to check it out. I want to bike around my neighborhood and check out garage sales and possibly meet a few neighbors. I want to hang my hammock that has sat in my garage and then read a book in the sunshine with a gentle breeze playing overhead.
And on Sunday, I will nap. I will read. I will sink into sweet, sweet sleep and allow rest to restore my body and my mind.
And I will love it.
LOTS OF NEWS: I will be interviewed next Friday on The Harvest Show, LeSEA Broadcast (May 23rd). It’s a global program so I hope you will tune in and catch my 7 minutes talking about teens, youth culture, and helping teens to find personal and relevant faith.
What’s up with the crazy pic? I’m trying a new way to get photos in this blog until it is fixed by the webmaster. : ) So, how do you like my new friend? I met him at the Women’s Success Expo this past Monday.
SPEAKING OF PICS: Most of the BBR’s can’t post pics yet as we wait for our webmasters to fix a glitch, but if you want to see pics of my five kiddos’ graduations, please go to my website at http://tsuzanneeller.com and check them out (about two or three posts down).
SPEAKING OF MY WEBSITE: The design is brand new. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, and I’m so happy with the way it turned out. I wanted it to be inviting and warm, a place where friends could stop by and talk about things that mattered to them. Will you let me know what you think? I’ve added a For Readers Section and an excerpt of a new novel I just finished writing. It’s historical and I love it.
Last: If you want to know more about slowing down, I wrote an article for Today’s Christian Woman some time back called Life in the Fast Lane.
15 Comments
Oh girl, I know exactly what you mean. I’m so ready for a nap NOW.
The women in my family are nappers. Some have perfected the art of the power nap, but all nap. My husband thought it was a waste of time and lazy, but I’ve always found time for naps. Now I find myself - the last year or so, I guess - missing them. Once in a blue moon. I think I’m going to go take a nap now.
Suze,
It’s Friday and I’m looking forward to my FRIDAY afternoon nap!
Eva
I just took a nap. It’s raining like mad in PA and I have a busy weekend ahead, so I did my usual Sunday thing on Friday. It was magnificent! The pitter-patter on the windows, the gray sky, the quiet house…ooo la, la…
I’m speaking to a group of women at my church on Sunday on how I take care of my heart ( the center of my being, not the vital organ), and I’m going to include napping. Life just seems better after a nap.
Ah, fellow nappers! Aha! I knew that I wasn’t alone. : )
I really love the balance of activity and rest. I think it’s much more healthy.
And the power nap? Uh uh. I’m just sinking into sweet nothingness after 10 minutes.
I have a book on Sabbath coming out later this year. People are so programmed to “do” all the time, they ask me how to “do” Sabbath. When I suggest napping as great way to start this spiritual practice, they look at me like I’m insane. But it is an act of faith to lie down in the middle of the day and trust God to run the universe for an hour while you take a break!
I don’t nap other days, but it is a part of my Sabbath practice!
I don’t usually nap other days either, but I love my Sabbath rest. Just calling it that makes it more special. I never thought of it as that. I appreciate you, Keri.
Suzie, I checked out your website and love your tag line “daring to believe that God redeems every chapter of our life stories”. What encouragement and hope those words offer!
Italy leads the way in “napping.” Every afernoon from 1-4 PM the serrandas go down, making “la casa” pitch black. And when “il caffe” wafts through the air, the serrandas go back up. Oh sweet bliss! Where have we gone wrong in this culture?!?
Sometimes God has to slow us down, so we can “listen.” My hubby was in a severe biking accident on Mother’s Day (pedal, pedal, CRASH!). I’m not “napping” these days, but he is!
You can find the Reader’s Digest version of his accident at http://livinglifepassionately.blogspot.com
I’m now a boomer caretaker (not so blissful!).
Thank you, Cheryl. It’s my mantra. I believe this firmly. It’s why I run after God and love Him with my whole being. He redeems every part–and if you read my story on the site, you’ll see that He has done that work in my life. And so many others, as well.
I appreciate you.
Hi Ladies,
My mother was a firm believer in napping after lunch on weekends and even on holidays. Once you’re at home, do as much as you want in the morning, shower, have lunch and nap for an hour or two. I regret letting the concerns of modern-day life steer me away from that practice. I probably take a nap, once a year.
Suzie, you have inspired me to get back to this blessed, necessary and productive habit. And what better day to do that than on the Sabbath.
The Lord willing, after church services tomorrow, I’ll have lunch, grab a book and retreat to my room for my “Sabbath Rest” as you term it. What am appropriate and accurate name.
Love the new site design too.
Have a blessed weekend.
We have a nap revolution! : )
I nap on Sundays, too! I always have. I can’t remember if my parents did or not. But for the past 25 years I have! And I find if I take a little 15 minute power nap around 3:00 I can get through the evening much better!
Is that a PICTURE I see? Yay!!!
It is a picture. I had to link it to a picture on Facebook, and earlier on my post on my grads to a picture on my blog. I can’t add one directly yet, but this is helpful.
: ) So, you like the picture? I was manning the Women of Vision booth at a local mall when a gorilla slipped beside me, and a photo was snapped.
Nap? What is that?
I’ll take the hammock, though, and a nice cool breeze. Wonderful post.