Going Into Hiding

One of the reasons I quit my job as a children's minister a few months ago had to do with rest. I just wasn't getting any. Between 2 jobs, a wife and four kids, extracurricular activities, and neighborhood ministry, I was burning the candle on both ends, with a wick that was about to meet in the middle.

Five months later, I've found that there still isn't much time for Sabbath. It's a particularly sticky problem. We try to pour ourselves into our neighbors, and the return is a rich relationship with so many kids, adults, and teenagers in the neighborhood. But what happens when there is a steady stream of people through your house at all hours, especially on weekends? I value my Saturday as a do-nothing, buy-nothing, sleep late, hibernate day of rest. But it seems that Saturday is still full of people. Last weekend I found myself at my wits end as one person after another showed up unannounced for either extended conversation or relief. There was no rest. And when I'm not allowed to recharge my relational batteries, I begin to short circuit. It pours over into my relationships at home, in my small group, with my ability to minister to others, and my ability to focus and be satisfied with my work.

This weekend I escaped. I whisked my family away into the woods for 3 days of uninterrupted family time. When my kids invited the kids in the next campsite to come play, I actually took my boys aside and said, "Listen - you won't hear me say this much, but - I don't want anyone else in our campsite this weekend. It's just us. Be nice, but don't invite anyone else to invade our time together".

It was worth it. I feel so much better today.

Sometimes I wonder if I should feel guilty for wanting to escape, but this weekend I remembered that my example, my Lord, found himself in the position of having to escape the crowds. Several times we read where Jesus tried to get away by himself. I figure if the creator of the universe needed to escape in order to recharge, then it's O.K. for us to do the same.

But I wonder - how do we position ourselves in such a way where we are deeply invested in the needs of our community, and yet still have a way to engage in restful solitude from time to time? I wonder how the "new monastics", who are even more deeply invested in their neighborhoods than my family, get some time for rest. Do they hang "Do Not Disturb" signs on their doors? How do you encourage relationship, but recharge when it's needed? Or is this a problem for introverts only? Do you thrive on relationship - the more the better - or are you drained of energy the more you interact with people (that's me)?

How do you recharge?