In the series, “Ritual of R.E.S.T.“, my hope is to share practical ways for R.E.S.T. within the reality of our lives.  There are people I know who take a full days every month for rest and renewal.  No technology, no work, just rest.  Annually, I make a silent retreat for a few days. This time away offers deep, spirit renewal.

R-enewing

E-nergy in

S-pirit

T-ime

What about within the ongoing rhythm of our week?  What about finding time for R.E.S.T. while juggling the many roles of life?  Many days, as a parent, this means juggling both my own responsibilities and juggling my children’s responsibilities.  Our kids, like us, need down time to just be.

One of our favorite rituals as a family is Movie Night!  We all jump into our PJ’s, order Pizza, and snuggle up together to watch a movie.  I love these nights because there is no cooking on our part, and we all get to take a moment to be together.  Limited at first only to weekends, occasionally this will occur on a week-night, if one or more of us is really tired or grumpy, one of us will call for a movie night.

The ritual is simple, but everyone knows what it means — permission to slow down, relax, and be together.  Once its decided a movie night is in order, the kids hop into their pj’s and slippers, and then pull their little table into the living room to eat.  Chris and I give ourselves permission to get into our PJ’s early and we gather the food and drinks.  After munching on pizza, all four of us sit on the couch snuggle together under a quilt passed down from one of Chris’ grandmothers.

This time renews our energy in spirit time because it allows us an opportunity to play and to be together with the physical warmth of resting next to each other.  While not an intense prayer period or full day of rest, this ritual of R.E.S.T. slows us down within the reality of our life.  It brings us together as a family, and it nurtures our spirit.  It is a brief “holy pause” that reminds us of one of the things that matters most in life– family.

Stay tuned for more in our series “Ritual of R.E.S.T” in the next few weeks!

Becky Eldredge

Becky is an Ignatian-trained spiritual director, retreat facilitator, and writer. She is the author of the Busy Lives and Restless Souls (March 2017, Loyola Press) and The Inner Chapel (April 2020, Loyola Press). She helps others create space to connect faith and everyday life through facilitating retreats and days of reflection, through writing, and through spiritual direction. With nearly twenty years of ministry experience within the Catholic Church, Becky seeks to help others discover God at work in the every day moments of people’s lives by utilizing St. Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises and the many gifts that our Catholic faith and Ignatian Spirituality provide.