It is amazing how much more creative and imaginative I feel now that my anxiety is under control and I’m being intentional about sabbath.  I’ve shared before here that I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder.  When I’m under lots of stress, say closing a church or working on General Conference, I tend to have a corresponding increase in irrational anxiety and panicky feelings.  Since June I’ve been working to take care of myself, leading to some new habits that have helped me feel the best I have felt in years and it is like a light has gone on.  I feel more creative and inspired, ready for whatever holy dream God is sending our way.

One of my practices is to have sabbath time.  This for me is not time off, but intentional soul feeding time.  Part of this comes during art lectures weekly at the Portland Art Museum which is part of my docent training.  While leading school tours is a community service and mission act, learning about the art is purely for my soul to soar.  Listening to Native American Artists speak about huge issues in our cultures, witnessing the amazing creative process of painters, hearing about the spiritual convictions of print makers, beginning to grasp the wisdom of Chinese aesthetics, and appreciating the beauty of Syrian contributions to the world through life like sculptures all change who I am and show me God, up close and in a vast array of forms. The other component of sabbath comes through my Sacred Ordinary Days planner.  This large book which holds my daily calendar is full of scriptures, prayer prompts, quotes, and a labyrinth. All of this keeps me focused on the seasonal rhythms of life in Christ.  While for some a planner might seem odd as a method to practice sabbath  it centers me and helps me devote time to God.

Without having to use my mental energy to worry I am free to devote my mental energy to other pursuits.  As a result of my sabbath time it is easy to let my imagination focus on what God is calling me to and the ways that new things can come up here in our community in Sellwood. I’m pretty sure that if I was not being intentional about sabbath my energy would flow to decorating the house or working on the children’s books I started ages ago or to my favorite activity of planning vacations.

I have read a million articles about sabbath, and I’ve always known it is something I should work on.  None of them ever really captured this new life I feel within and the sense of being in tune with something more than myself.  There are seasons in life and in faith, and I’m so glad to have come through this past season and be in this space of dreaming and possibility.  I can’t wait to share with you what this season brings.

-Eilidh

Creative works from brunch