Monday, March 22, 2010

oh sweet mercy it's monday

I have always thought of Monday as cruel and unusual punishment.
Just when you finally get a little relaxation into your bones over the weekend
somehow Monday morning rolls around and wacks you on the head.
But lately, I have come to love Monday mornings.
It has become my weekday sabbath.
As a child, I always thought that resting on the Lord's Day was highly overrated.
Being a pastor's kid, Sunday afternoon naps were a torment.
I was a highly motivated child. I was motivated not to take naps.
This has come back to haunt me as an adult.
All those Sundays when I could have been resting, I didn't.
I should have socked them away for future use in my late 30's.
I'll let you in on a little pastoral family secret, Sundays aren't very restful.
They are more work-ful. It is good work, of course, there is just not a lot of lounging or quiet meditation involved.
So now as I've started speaking at functions on Saturdays and Sundays are a day of prepping for and attending our gathering and Tuesday starts my work week of subbing,
Monday has become my default day of rest.
After getting the big boys off to school, I get a few moments to putter.
Puttering is the opposite of having gagillion things to do all at the same time.
I have found out after, lo, these many years that I am not particularly great at multi-tasking.
I am more of a uni-tasker who is required to multi-task.
So on Monday morning with NOTHING on the calendar, I get to do one thing at a time.
Like sip coffee or take a shower or peruse a magazine (unbelievable) or finish off doing the bills in a puttering sort of way.
On Mondays, I pretend I am a lady of leisure.
I keep Addison home with me on Mondays, too, giving him a break from his preschool routine.
And we often squeeze each other very tight with joy and say,
"We get to stay home today!" because we are ecstatic over our good fortune.
So after a busy Saturday and an even busier Sunday, this morning has burst bright upon me and I am going to get my coffee, steaming hot with lots of milk, and go watch an episode of Scooby Doo with Addie.
Because it's Monday.


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8 comments:

Kelly @ Love Well said...

I can relate.

I don't know if it stems from my PK roots, but Mondays for me have become a Sabbath of sorts. It's not a particularly restful day; typically, it's when I do all sorts of work around the house. But it feels restful because I always block off Mondays to be my at-home day. I don't plan anything, and I can feel free to move at my own pace.

Plus, I love the feeling of getting everything reset for the week ahead. It's satisfying.

Chel's Leaving a Legacy said...

It seems that Monday is the Sabbath day of rest for most in ministry. The Pastor I used to work for back home in Texas did the same thing: Monday was his day off. Gotta have 'em.

I just wanted to pop in and let you know I got my copy of "My Bangs Look Good" book today, and I can't wait to get started in it! I am preparing a lesson for a conference I get to participate in late in May, and this will fit right in with what I am preparing. In fact, I am anticipating referencing your book on some of my points about how we view ourselves, and I promise to plug it for you, too. :-)

Have a great Putterin' Monday!

Corrina said...

That is Thursday for me! Working as a pastor, my week starts Sunday and my last day in the office is Wednesday. Thursdays I go so slow, and try not to require myself to do anything but rest and soak in my children. Around our house, they are called "mommy-days", the day my toddler and baby are with me all day, I get to pick up my kindergartner from school and do homework and dinner. It's so important to have a down day!!

sister sheri said...

"I have found out after, lo, these many years that I am not particularly great at multi-tasking.
I am more of a uni-tasker who is required to multi-task."

This is soooooo me, too!

Loren said...

Oh happy day! Nothing like being a lady of leisure! I always wondered how being in the ministry you were able to rest on Sundays....it just couldn't happen! :)
So glad you are able to have these precious Mondays and enjoy yourself and your little one!
I received my books today from you! So thankful for them and can't wait to dig in! I will deliver Rachels to her ASAP!
Blessings!

Unknown said...

A shout out for Mondays! I get it. As part of a pastoral family, Mondays are glorious days to have coffee with my hubby. Aaahhh...

Enjoy your days with your little guy... there is nothing like a "stay home day" with mom!!

Rachel said...

I am a huuuuuuge fan of puttering!
Putter away my dear sister in the Lord!

Kim said...

Amen to Mondays as a day of rest :-) My hubby was a bi-vocational pastor for a number of years, so he didn't really get a day of rest but I ALWAYS crashed on Mondays. Now that we're missionaries we typically take at least part of Mondays for some "down" time. It helps me get through the weekend :-)