What to Do with a Free Day Off!

            

             Yesterday was a special gift in my life – and a most unexpected one. It started last Friday morning when my supervisor called me. She said, “Bekah, you’ve been working a lot of extra hours and you’ve had a lot happening at work lately. I looked at your calendar for Monday and you only have one meeting on the books that day. I want you to invite me to that meeting so I can run it for you, and I want you to take the day off and just enjoy it. A free day.”

            I started the obligatory protests, but I stopped immediately. I recognized the gift she offered. A free day off to rest and fill my cup so I can do well going forward? I accept.

            All weekend, Ryan said to me, “What are you going to do with your day off?” I couldn’t hide the delight in my eyes as I said, “I don’t know! There are so many wonderful things I would want to do – how will I ever choose?”

            Here is what I ended up doing!

            I got up at the normal time and settled in on the couch with coffee and my Bible to have an extended time of Bible study and prayer. I got up to pack Ryan’s lunch before he left for work – and then it was back to the couch. Lexi was SO EXCITED for a couch day. They don’t happen often, but when they do, she is so happy.

            After Ryan left, my first order of business was to prep for the new Bible study I’m leading every other week. It met last night, and I had some final organization and prep work to do for it, so I made sure that was done.

            Then I took time to read aloud and revise my next two event talks I’m giving. I learned from them, prayed over them, considered future changes, and felt great about what I got done!

            It was mid-morning by then and time to take a shower and get ready. I had the biggest smile on my face, because everything about the day had been so fully beautiful, and it wasn’t even lunchtime yet!

            I got ready, did a quick laminating/binder-making project, and then I drove to Ryan’s work to meet him for his lunch. We went for a walk on the trails, because it was almost 60 degrees outside – IN FEBRUARY! IN INDIANA! – and then I came back home to eat my lunch.

            I spent the afternoon working ahead on some blog posts, a hospitality project I have coming up, and catching up on other tasks I’d gotten behind on along the way. It was gorgeous outside, and I had HGTV playing in the background the whole time. What a perfect little day.

            When it was close to time for Ryan to come home, I took some time to pray over some things that are weighing on my heart, and then when he did get home, we took advantage of the truly GORGEOUS day and took Lexi for a walk. (Two walks in one day? What is this madness??)

            Then I was off to Bible study and Ryan and Lexi hung out at home.

            It was a really beautiful day (literally and figuratively) and I am already guessing I’ll need to start extra early today and stay late tonight to compensate, but I still treasured the gift of a day off!