Well-Earned Rest

Last night, after church, I spent some time tidying up our kitchen. We had had to leave without cleaning up everything from dinner in order to make church on time. So, before I could relax, it was time to finish up.

Afterwards, to the tune of the humming dishwasher, I settled in to read a good novel—Julie Lessman’s “A Passion Redeemed.” Ahhhhh . . . such wonderful relaxation.


Relaxation is best when it’s earned, don’t you think? If we sit around all day and not go to work, or meet our commitments, our lives become dull. Laziness leads to so many negatives—like not feeling useful, or seeing results, stagnating. But purposefulness results from working hard. Same’s true after a day of hard work outside or office work, meeting deadlines. A change of pace. A change of atmosphere. And whether it’s a movie or a book, or a chat with a friend or family member, relaxation is a gift we enjoy more after we’ve earned it.

Here’s to hard work followed by a great reward.