It’s been said that it takes most people about 2 weeks to decompress or let go from all that happens during a normal work week. And for most people, 2 weeks is the average length of a single vacation. That means that most if us in this country rarely fully decompress, or learn to let go from al“`commitments in the work environment.

Being that this is Day Two, I can’t presume to be through this process for myself, though there’s no doubt that once I boarded the jet & headed down the runway, I was entering a new reality of time and purpose.

A primary rationale for taking a sabbatical every 5 – 7 years is just for this reason. Often summarized by the 3 R’s: rest, reconnecting with family and renewal of purpose / spirit. The concept is rooted in the Third Commandment, remember the Sabboth Day to keep in holy. This commandment, as noted in Deuteronomy 5:12-15, shares in an activity God saw necessary when, after 6 days of making the world and everything in it, God rested and took time to disengage from the activities of the week.

While a great concept, the notion of resting 1 day a week seems to continue to evaporate with each passing year as families attempt to cram more and more into both their week and their weekend. It seems a legitimate rationale for not attending a church service these days goes something like, “Well, my real job is Monday thru Friday, and Saturday I do the incidentals like wash, clean and shop, so Sunday is my only free day to rest and do what I want to do.”

REFLECTION: What does Sabboth mean to you? How long does it take you to decompress from work, and how often do you do this in a year? Do your get-aways include your family?