Alli Dyer

Sabbath used to be a really important rhythm for our family. 🤍

For years, we intentionally set aside 24 hours every week to stop. Then Poppy was born, newborn life happened 😂 and somewhere along the way, Sabbath quietly fell out of our routine.

This week, we picked it back up.

Years ago, we took the kids to pick out a tablecloth and candle that we ONLY use for Sabbath. Pulling them back out this week felt like a little reminder:

Today is different.

No work. No screens. No pressure to clean up every little mess. Paper plates, picked-up meals, books, games, painting, pool time, nature, walks and just being together.

Stephen even had time to sit down and dream up a plan for our backyard garden — because when you stop doing all the things you have to do, there’s suddenly room for some of the things you want to do. 🤍

And the tablecloth stays out — crumbs, spills and all — until Sabbath is over. The house doesn’t have to be perfect. The dishes, laundry and work can wait.

Sabbath with 5 kids definitely isn’t quiet 😂 but I’m remembering that rest doesn’t have to mean quiet.

Sometimes rest simply means stopping.

Which made the literal STOP sign on our family walk that evening feel especially fitting.

A little reminder to stop trying to squeeze productivity out of every open hour and trust that the work will still be there tomorrow.

We aren’t perfect at this. We stopped for a whole season. But maybe that’s the beautiful thing about rhythms — you can always return to them.

Really grateful to be returning to this one. 🤍