Rest

Yesterday, I taught my Pre-K kids God's purpose for winter. Or at least Karen Henley's (the writer of a curriculum I sometimes use) opinion of why God created winter. I told them that God made winter so people could rest from their work. I love that simple, common sense explanation. God knows we need rest and the idea that he created an entire season for us to get it is awesome to me.

When our world was a "grow your own food" kind of place many years ago, this was very real. People would work endlessly from the first signs of spring until they could squeeze no more out of fall. They worked the land, and livestock, and canned and cooked and preserved until they were exhausted. When winter came, they had to rest, at least a little. The days were shorter and the temperatures lower making it impossible to achieve more than the daily needs for survival like cooking and staying warm. They could afford to relax a little during this time, they'd prepared for the winter. They had stocked up on staples, canned vegetables and meat, they'd mended fences and barns.

I recently read in a magazine that one woman's favorite thing about January is that she gives herself permission to slow down and enjoy her family and home. I've decided that I love this concept and am trying to implement it in my family's life. We have all spring and summer for activities that force me and Honey to "divide and conquer" with him going one direction and me another. We worked hard in the fall to establish routines that will help us survive during the busy days of school. From now on, I'm going to devote January to taking a step back, saying "no" to a few extra activities, going to bed a little early, and managing our routines to conquer all the daily necessities. We are enjoying more time to relax, play a game, watch a movie together, and just be a family. It's our little way of hibernating, and we love it!