When I set myself the goal of writing something coherent every day of November for #MyBizWriMo, I debated with myself whether to set the goal to every day, every weekday, or every day except Sunday. I consciously decided to choose every day (including Sundays and days around Thanksgiving and other particularly busy days) but was hoping that I would actually write enough articles ahead of time so that I wouldn't have to work on Sundays.

I'm letting myself off the hook a bit today to write this post about rest on this day of rest. As long as the writing process is smooth and I could keep myself from getting tangled up weaving together too many complicated ideas, I will take to heart what Jesus is reported to have said (Mark 2:27):

The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath

We rest from striving to be productive in order to lay our work down in joy and health. It's possible (and likely) that resting is even good for our productivity in the long term -- but that's not the ultimate point of this Sunday party. For someone who has been fortunate enough to love my work, ceasing my work is not easy. Observing Sunday Sabbath has been a on-again off-again affair over the years. But whenever I am disciplined in keeping Sunday as a day of rest, I have been the profound beneficiary.

So far today, I observed All Saints' Day at my church this morning. I was blessed to be a reader of names of those people dear to parishioners that died since the previous All Saint's Day. I got to speak the names of my three beloved recently departed (Anthony Jerome Smith, Walter R. Hearn, and Virginia K. Hearn) before the congregation and shed tears of sadness, joy, and remembrance. Once I post this piece, I will back away from the keyboard to cook lunch, read Alias Grace, glance through the Sunday New York Times, and laugh with my Sweetie. There is no end of work to do (and many more articles to write for #MyBizWriMo), but those are concerns for tomorrow and the day after.