Where Have You Been?

            “Where have you been?”    That seems like an appropriate question for readers of this blog to ask this writer since it has been about 2 months since I wrote in this blog.    I am glad that to say that I have not been ill of body or spirit nor have I been pouting about a comment someone made about this blog.    “Where have you been?”  Well, let’s see.   Since the last time I wrote in this blog I have had  fun-filled hours playing with my 5 grandchildren… and some short trips to the coast with my beloved wife, Ann.    I have read books and listened to books on CD.   I have enrolled in a conversational Spanish class at a local community college.   I have watched new movies and old movies.    I have exercised regularly and finally started doing a daily log of the foods I eat.   

“Where have you been?”    I know you were specifically asking to know what happened to my blog and the answer is this:  I simply decided I needed to take a break from writing.   Those of you who have known me for several years  may recall that I have been writing a blog of some sort for some time.     The earliest record that I can find is back in 2004, 12 years ago.   I have written a devotion or blog as least once a week for those 12 years though I did take a break over  some holidays.   After 12 years and since I am in this new season of my life called retirement (or semi-retirement),   I felt that I needed to take a break.

            When someone takes a break and goes “below the radar”  we often think that someone must be mad or something must be wrong.    We have this expectation that people must always be busy and productive.    One of the things this new season of life called retirement is teaching me is that it is okay to take a break and rest.    It is not only okay to rest, but it is also Biblical.  We see that truth in the scriptures.    If you read the Bible from the beginning,  you  only read through one chapter of the Bible before you encounter rest in Genesis 2:2-3 where we read:

² By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. ³ Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

            Everyone and everything needs a time of rest.   I not only wish that for you, but I believe that God desires that for you.    I will be back with my blog again on a regular basis, and will talk to you again soon.    Have a joy-filled day.-   Pastor Randy Wall

 Prayer:  Living God, forgive our arrogance to think that the world is indispensable with us.  Remind us regularly, Lord, that there is a time to work and a time to rest;  through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.