Small Steps

Episode #6 – Challenge Title: REST
Welcome to Small Steps – a Podcast for Growing up Grown Ups.
These Small Steps will be simple, do-able and practical to help you relate to your young child in a healthy way as each of you grows. So hang around for some encouragement as you raise up your little one.
I’m Nanette Johnson, Minister to Preschoolers and their families at First Baptist Church Arlington.

“In the great green room, There was a telephone, And a red balloon and a picture of – The cow jumping over the moon, And …. A quiet old lady who was whispering “hush” - Goodnight room.”
How many of you could fall asleep right now after just hearing the opening phrase of “Goodnight Moon”, by Margaret Wise Brown? If you have tucked in a little one for bed and have the rhythm of bedtime stories, Goodnight Moon is probably at the top of the pile of bedtime books. Something about the rhyme, repetition, quiet, and calm written into this book covers people with rest. What does it mean for you to rest?

Let’s pause here for a few minutes to visit about the subject of REST. This subject seems very out of place when you are raising young children. But hang in here with me!

The most common definition of Rest is to cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, and recover strength. (Those are great “RE” words: relax, refresh, recover!) When we Rest, we hopefully are Re-freshed. There really isn’t anything that brings sweeter peace than a sleeping baby. However, there are two other definitions that I’d like to point out. If your child “rests” their head on your shoulder, you are supporting them in a special way. Support is offering a form of rest. The third definition is: when you “rest assured” that tomorrow is coming, you are placing your hope, trust, or confidence in something or someone. When you have hope, you are able to rest.
Here’s the deal – as people, created in God’s image, we need Daily Rest! We need to be refreshed, we need to be supported and we need to be able to trust. And so do your children! But how in the world is this rest accomplished? The short answer is through God. And then the next short answer is Live Simply! When we as adults get out of the way of the natural ways of children - they really live simple lives. We are the ones that can complicate things for them. We add business, expectations, uncertain schedules, and cluttered words.
As you stop to think about your own life – you may realize you have allowed other people to do the same to you. You may be listening to too many voices which can confuse who and what you trust. Your “rest assured” isn’t at rest at all. The support system you use to have may have been pushed to the side because of your business. You don’t have time to just be with friends anymore because you’ve said yes to too many things. And now you may be feeling lost without any where to really rest your head. When you are feeling too tired, too stressed, hopeless and un-supported, I can promise you your child is feeling the same.
Bringing back some simple ways of life really may bring Rest. When you clean out a closet or a junk drawer or even the car, you are simplifying that space. You are refreshing it to its original order, design, or purpose. Cleaning out some clutter in this season of life may recover some rest, bringing about support and hope. Simplify schedules, limit extra activities outside of the home, find the people that give support instead of adding chaos, and then simply trust in what is true.
The Message says is like this:
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest.” Matthew 11:29-30 The Message
This kind of Rest, in Hebrew, means ‘Ease for the your soul’. We find Rest or Ease for the soul when we are able to Release some things.
I have been reminded of an ancient yet simple tool to experience Real Rest in your week through the Daily Prayer of Reflection. This simple and thoughtful experience is a type of Releasing of concerns, burdens, thoughts, or maybe false stories playing through our head – all that distracts us. When we actually reflect, release, and refocus, then the Rest and Ease can come. Emily P. Freeman gives insight and direction to this type of reflection in her podcast titled The Next Right Thing. In Episode 211 Emily gives some specific steps and questions to use as a guide for this type of Resting at the end of a day. The main point is to pause. Allow yourself a few moments to reflect through the day with thankfulness and pray through an experience you had during the day. And then end this time by always looking for the light that shines hope onto the next day. If we would end the day with this simple, restful habit, I am quite certain our children would sense the rest, the calm, and the hope.
How well does your family rest?
I don’t mean how well do you sleep – that is a totally different episode! How restful is your home? Is there a sweet sense of peace, support and hope? What needs to be simplified? Are things complicated that really could be made much simpler with just a few adjustments? What day of the week can you end with a time of Reflection and Prayer? How can those reflective thoughts and questions be worked into your dinner time with your children? The very youngest child doesn’t need much training in finding things to be thankful for. Thankfulness is the best place to begin as you are adding in more rest. Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude by asking everyone to name one thing they are thankful for at the dinner table. Honestly, that is where we started – in a great green room. The author of Goodnight Moon simply names what she sees as she drifts off to sleep. When this is done with our children, in the spirit of thankfulness, it brings rest!
Let’s summarize with 4 Small Steps –
Step 1 – We know we all need REST. We’ve known this from the very beginning of time. In the Beginning, God created … REST! When we are at rest – we are refreshed, we are supported and we have hope. When we are rested our children will sense that security.
Step 2 – Be simplified! Look for the spaces, schedules, time, and relationships that need to be simplified. What can be adjusted to relieve some chaos and stress? And then – who around you needs to be supported by you, in order to bring them some rest.
Step 3 – Try adding a time of Reflective Prayer or Daily Examine at the end of one day this week. As you thankfully recount the daily experiences, what can you release so that you walk lighter with more hope? Help your child name what they are thankful for and rest in those gifts of blessing.
Step 4 – As you rest, Celebrate the peace that you and your children experience. When you sense a simpler way, Celebrate with a loud YES! Or maybe it is more appropriate to celebrate with a sleepy “goodnight”.

…Goodnight stars, Goodnight air, Goodnight noises everywhere
The Good news is – God rested and He expects you to do the same!
“The creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.” Genesis 2:1&3 NLT
I hope you feel encouraged to find the simple ways of resting as your child grows and learns from you to do the same!

Thanks so much for joining me today.
As you repeat these Small Steps consistently, you will learn more about your child’s design and will be amazed by their growth. Their Growth depends on your Small Steps - as you too are Growing Up!