Action Addict

Chapter 2: What Happens When Everything Stops?

For those of you that are following my post "What Is The Cost of Rest?", here is our progress:


Dave and I actually had a discussion about chapter 2! And i am tickled to write on behalf of the both of us!

Don’t get me wrong, Dave and I talk…about kids, food, finances, laundry…but dedicated time about God, very, very cool!

(What a great 12 years anniversary present!)

Our unanswered question is: Should what you rest from be a sacrifice or a gift?

When I asked Dave what he would be willing to give up for 24 hours he said." cleaning the house."

I found myself immediately jumping in, "But that is no sacrifice." (I think that was my Lent history kicking in?)

Questions and Answers

One great this about this book is the though provoking (or reality check) Questions at the end of each Chapter. The leader of our group also adds questions that may affect our local group specifically.

On to OUR answers:
Questions #1: Reflect on the word "stop". If God were to ask you to stop something for 24 hours each week, what might it be?

Dave’s comment was: "Stop for 24 hours in a row?"
Kym: I equate STOP with LAZY. (This has not been a great equation for the members of my family ;0)

Questions #2: Think of a time when you were forced to stop, like a power failure or the ice storm. Outside of it happening unplanned; what did you enjoy? What did you learn? What did you find difficult?

We thought about times we were sick, weather effects. Dave contemplated winter, when he is deprived of golf… but we learned more from our "Sabbath Dry Run" last week.

Dave liked the rest initially but felt bored quickly. He admitted that doing family stuff actually tires him out sometimes, and do we get to rest from that on the Sabbath?

I enjoyed playing games with the kids and making muffins that we shared throughout the day (ps someone please tell me calories do not exist on the Sabbath!).

I did not like the constant feeling of laziness and need to suppress my mouth.

I did not share this with my family, but I had committed to giving my family a Sabbath from me!

I needed a day not to be the "Project Manager" and they needed a day not to be managed.

I think this went over famously! I even had a few requests of how they could help and a few random acts of kindness…(dishes finding the sink, kisses for no reason)

Addie loved afternoon tea and alone time with me.

We let the boys play video games (BAD IDEA) but this was a trial run... We can ALWAYS adjust this activity.

I think we kinda, "Forgot to Remember God"…we do not know what traditions we want to do to recognize God. We pray, but we do that every day…again a work in progress. Gladly accepting any successful suggestions!

One if the items we did address with the kids, was that we did not what to cause work for others on the Sabbath. (That may have been me trying to micromanage just a tad, but I knew I would be cleaning up from Sabbath on Monday.)

What We Took Away From Our Sunday "Practice"

We honor God the most when we enjoy and grow in the relationships he has given us.

Whatever we do on Sabbath, as long as it is meant as worship, it is pleasing to God…and we all to that differently! So, where I may want to sing at the top of my lungs, my daughter may paint, my oldest create a lego buildings, my 4 year old make up a great story, or my husband resting from my chaos (hee hee)...you may need to do something differently.

3.On pg 35, Carl makes some Thought provoking statements "We are human beings yet we live as we are human doings" We move through our days as if what we do mattered more than who we are….

Dave: Does not need to be in constant motion, but wants it to be his option. He does not liked being told what he can’t do.

Kym: I am an "Action Addict". The more you do = the better you are. I know this is skewed thinking but it is my natural tendency.

The main items that caught Dave regarding this chapter:
1. How different faiths choose their day of rest. (Ex Jewish versus Muslim)
2. That when Lynne and Dave came back to the US. Christians were not interested.

My main item: Sabbath is not another day to be in control.

Kym and Dave Lamb