A new study suggests that companies that operate all-nights shifts to increase profitability may not realize the total cost of maintaining a third shift. The study by Circadian Technologies of Lexington Massachusetts suggests the night shift may cost companies upwards of $206 billion a year, roughly $8,600 per worker.

The problem is the worker’s own bodies. Their bodies are telling them to go to sleep just when they need to be most productive. The study found that those who work the graveyard shift make five times as many serious mistakes and are 20 percent more likely to suffer severe accidents.

The health cost for workers on the overnight shift is also higher, partly because obesity and diabetes rates are higher among people who work the overnight shift. These workers also have a 40 percent higher rate of heart disorders than people who work daytime hours. Overnight workers also face higher divorce rates and suffer from 150 percent more stress-related gastrointestinal disorders. The study found that the additional health coverage alone costs more than 28 billion dollars a year.

—Business Week Online, July 11, 2003, Scary Truths about the graveyard shift, by Kate Hazelwood. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

John 9:4 NIV “As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming when no one can work.”

New York City has been called “The City That Never Sleeps.” A new company hopes to change that image.

Metronaps is located on the 24th floor of the Empire State Building. High above the bustling streets, honking horns, and crowded sidewalks, Metronaps offers customers the opportunity to take a 20-minute nap.

Tired and stressed-out customers arrive in a quiet darkened room filled with chairs resembling those found in a dentist's office. White noise machines block out the whispered conversation from the front desk area. Sleepers stretch out in reclining seats with blankets covering their legs and music piped into headphones. After twenty minutes the sleeping pod gently wakes the customer with a combination of vibrations and light. Arshad Chowdhury, co-founder of Metronaps says nappers are encouraged to sleep only twenty minutes because longer sessions tend to leave them more groggy than refreshed.

One Broadway singer and dancer who likes to rest between an audition and a performance says it was better to pay for a nap than sit at a coffee shop. Abdul Latifadds,

"It's the closest thing to your bed. It's either this, or the top of a table with your head down."

—Reuters, Paying to Nap in City That Never Sleeps, Friday, July 9, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Fourteen bucks seems pretty steep to me, but maybe if you’re tired, I mean really tired, it isn’t unreasonable. While I don’t know about that, I do know that real spiritual refreshment is available to anyone who will come to the Lord.

Matthew 11:28 (NASB) “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”

Our days often begin with a great deal of hustle. The alarm shocks us awake. We roll out of bed, grab a shower, gobble down a quick breakfast, and rush out the door to begin another day of work. At the end of the day, we collapse exhausted from the rush of the day.

David Roper says there may be another way to handle our busy lives. David notes that Israel’s day began in the evening. They rested and slept, then got up in the morning to join God in a work already in progress. The day had already begun, and the Lord had been working while his people rested, preparing to join Him. David believes Israel’s sequence of evening and morning pictures the attitude we should embrace in all of our efforts. Our days should begin by resting in God’s infinite ability. When we begin our work, we join God in what He is already doing.

David writes, It’s useless to drive ourselves in anxious frenzy, as if success depended solely on our efforts. We must work hard in all we do, but we must also realize that everything depends on God. He never stops working on our behalf. Before we begin our day’s work, we must first find our rest in him.”

—Our Daily Bread, September 17, 2002. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Psalm 127:2 NIV “In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat, for He grants sleep to those he loves.”

The historic Trinity Church in lower Manhattan reopened its doors to worshipers Sunday, November 4, 2001. The church had been closed since the September 11th attack on America. The facility was not damaged by the collapse of the twin towers, however the building was covered by a thick layer of dust. Once that was cleaned up, the building remained within the post disaster "frozen zone" and was closed to the public.

The guest Vicar at Sunday's services said the people of New York were still seeking answers. He said, "out of the chaos of a world gone mad, they find a great and powerful God, who through the window of hope can open an eternity of possibilities."

A sign inside Trinity church stands as an odd contrast in a world of heightened security and increased fear. It informs visitors they were not required to check their cameras or packages. It reminds those who enter they are responsible for their personal belongings at all times.

The reopening of Trinity church restored a touch of normality amid the sounds and smells rising from the rubble of the World trade Center three blocks away. The words of the Vicar and the sign in the church echo the words of Jesus in Matthew 11. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

The church remains a doorway for the burdened and weary to find hope in Jesus Christ. He asks us to bring all that we have, lay it at his feet, and take his yoke. Jesus restores peace to the heart of people in turmoil, when we bring every concern to Him.

—Associated Press, Tuesday, November 6, 2001, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Affluence and endless activity is turning the American dream into a nightmare, making it difficult for Christian families to spend time focusing on God. Speaking at a conference in North Carolina, Clara Mae Van Brink, director of preschool ministries at Peachtree Corners Baptist Church in Norcross, Georgia said, “We are raising our children on activity theology, and it is killing the family.”

Van Brink says the many activities families encounter every day make it difficult to develop a family life centered on God. She says, “Today’s children suffer from chronic fatigue, and it can’t be taken care of with one good night’s sleep.” The problem grows worse as children get older; many teens are tired all the time. To make matters worse, they live with chronically fatigued and stressed out parents.

Van Brink says young children do not need to participate in activities 40 hours a week. She suggests families work toward centering their lives on the Lord. Van Brink suggests families begin spending an evening together at home playing games, sitting together in worship services, and teaching children to respect authority. She also says families should set aside a day of rest, and make Sundays a day that is different from the rest of the week. Van Brink adds, “We’re all just so uptight all the time. There is no Sabbath anymore—no day of rest.”

—www.bpnews.net, August 1, 2003, Activity, affluence becoming family nightmare, she says, by Leslie Ann Shoemate, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

We need a day of rest each week, and what better day to take it than the Lord’s Day to remember all he has done for us.

Deuteronomy 5:12 NIV “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. ON it you shall not do nay work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey or nay of your animals, nor the alien within your gates so that your manservant and maidservant may rest as you do.”

In his book, "Blue Like Jazz", Donald Miller writes, "Along my wood-paneled walls are small, wood-paneled doors that open into attic space. I stuck a television inside one of these doors, and in the evenings, I lie in bed and watch television. When you are a writer and a speaker, you aren't supposed to watch television. It's shallow. I feel guilty because for a long time I didn't allow myself a television and I used to drop that fact in conversation to impress people. I thought it made me sound dignified. A couple of years ago, however, I visited a church in the suburbs, and there was this blowhard preacher talking about how television rots your brain. He said that when we are watching television our minds are working no harder than when we are sleeping. I thought that sounded heavenly. I bought one that afternoon."

Genesis 2:3 (HCSB) "God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it He rested from His work of creation

Recently I was reading a passage from one of my favorite writers that struck a chord with me and I'd like to read it to you this morning. "The thing to remember when traveling is that the trail is the thing, not the end of the trail. Travel too fast and you will miss all you are traveling for."—Ride the Dark Trail, p. 44.

OK, I can agree with Louie L'Amour that the journey is important, but what if it never leads anywhere? What if we spend our whole lives walking in circles and never arrive at our destination? That's exactly what happened to the Children of Israel.

Hebrews 3:7-19 (HCSB) "Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: Today, if you hear His voice, [8] do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the desert, [9] where your fathers tested Me, tried [Me], and saw My works [10] for 40 years. Therefore I was provoked with this generation and said, 'They always go astray in their hearts, and they have not known My ways.' [11] So I swore in My anger, 'They will not enter My rest.' [12] Watch out, brothers, so that there won't be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that departs from the living God. [13] But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin's deception. [14] For we have become companions of the Messiah if we hold firmly until the end the reality that we had at the start. [15] As it is said: Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion. [16] For who heard and rebelled? Wasn't it really all who came out of Egypt under Moses? [17] And with whom was He 'provoked for 40 years'? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? [18] And to whom did He 'swear that they would not enter His rest,' if not those who disobeyed? [19] So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief."

Tattoo’s owner shut his leash in the door so he could help his wife carry a load to the car. Forgetting the dog was there, the owner pulled into the road and started home with Tattoo trailing along behind. At first it was like going for a walk, but as the speed increased and the distance lengthened, Tattoo began to have problems keeping up. According to one observer, “the dog was really putting them up and putting them down.”

The people who loved him the most were unaware of the trouble he was in.

Before they got to the main highway where Tattoo would not have been able to keep up, a motorcycle police officer on patrol noticed the trailing dog. The owners were terrified of the ordeal Tattoo just experienced.

-- Seattle Times, Friday, March 9, 1990

(http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19900309&slug=1060166) Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

When life seems to be dragging you by the neck it is time to remember that God has something else planned for you—His rest.

Matthew 11:30 (NRSV) “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

The Information Technology company, Unlimited IT was frustrated with the slow transmission times on the nation’s Internet system, and devised an experiment to show just how slow it was. They pitted an old-fashioned carrier pigeon against the modern Internet to see which could transmit a computer file quicker.

The company strapped a data card to the leg of an 11 month old carrier pigeon named Winston. They released the bird at the moment they sent a file over the Internet between two cities, 50 miles apart. It took the bird 1 hour and 8 minutes to fly between cities. After downloading the files, the total time required to transfer files by bird was two hours, six minutes, and 57 seconds. In that time, only four percent of the file transferred over the transmission lines. The Internet company could not be reached for comment, although they claim their service will improve once a new fiber optic cable linking South Africa to East Africa is completed next year.

Pigeon beats Net Firm in data transfer race;
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32772500/ns/world_news-weird_news; September 10, 2009,
Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

What is it that is driving us to live life at such breakneck speed? OK, I get it that the Internet should be faster than a pigeon, but still, what is driving us to be in such a hurry. Getting there in a hurry isn’t always the goal—getting to the right place is.

Psalm 46:10 (NKJV) Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

An average football telecast lasts 174 minute, including 60 minutes of commercials. 75 minutes is the time between plays when players are huddling, and 17 minutes of the telecast are replays. There are only eleven minutes of executing plays, or about 6% of the telecast.

--The Week January 29, 2010, p. 20 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

While that number seems low to me on the outset, can you imagine executing plays for a straight 60 minutes without time to rest, plan for the plays or communicate in huddles? That’s how some of us live our lives—we’re constantly running and don’t take time to rest or reflect.

Ephesians 5:16 (NASB77) “making the most of your time, because the days are evil.”

During the 19th century when Americans set out to build a transcontinental railroad, congress set the rules up as a race. Both companies, the Union Pacific from the east and the Central Pacific from California, raced to lay as much track as they possibly could. As they pressed across the mountains and prairies, they found ways to lay track faster and faster. “They never let up,” Stephen Ambrose said in his book, Nothing Like It In The World.

Well, there was one exception. They did not work on Sunday. “The Casements, (the brothers in charge of actually laying the track) and their men never let up, except on the day of rest.”

--Stephen Ambrose, Nothing Like It In The World, p. 212. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

Whether it was a religious duty or just an understanding, God created man to rest one day in every seven. The railroad builders kept to a six day on--one day off schedule through the whole project. This included the Irish Catholics building the road from the east and the Chinese laborers building from the west. The principle is universal and timeless, “six days shall you labor and do all your work but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work.”

Exodus 20:8-11 (HCSB) Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: (9) You are to labor six days and do all your work, (10) but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh your God. You must not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the foreigner who is within your gates. (11) For Yahweh made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then He rested on the seventh day. Therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy.

How important is it to keep the Lord’s Day holy to the Lord? It seems to be less and less so in American Culture and even among American Christians; but to one company it remains sacred. David Salyers who works for the ad agency that works for Chick-fil-A was asked, “What do you think would happen first: a hamburger on the menu, or a Chick-fil-A opening on a Sunday?”

With the total disregard for the fourth commandment we have experienced in our culture, it is refreshing to see a large corporation that sticks to its values.

In Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives, Richard Swenson writes: “Everyone needs God time. Because He is not pushy about His agenda, God is too easy to forget. He just waits ... and waits. What does He think of "efficient" prayers? What happened to the "Be still and know that I am God" times? Societies that have the accelerator to the floor are doomed to become God-less. Speed does not yield devotion.”

Matthew 11:28 (NASB) “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”

In Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives, Richard Swenson writes: “While standing at the hospital bed of a dying man, a pastor interrupted his prayer to answer his cell phone. A youth pastor reported that he loved his job and tolerated long hours well-until he got home and routinely saw the answering machine blinking 9 messages. This escalating use of accessing technologies MUST be controlled, for the sake of our spirit and our sanity.

Remembering that technology is responsible for much of our time famine, it is good to go on strike occasionally. Try disconnecting from clocks, watches, alarms, beepers, telephones, and e-mail for a day, a weekend, or a week. Find the off switch.”

In Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives, Richard Swenson writes: “At Sabbath time we suspend dominion work and instead worship the dominion-Maker. We cease reaping for our own cupboards and instead bring an offering to I1im. We rest not because we are tired. We don't cease our labor because it is finished. We don't worship because now there are grapes on the vine and cattle in the stalls. We rest and worship one day in seven simply because He is the Lord.”

Matthew 11:28 (NASB) “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”

In Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives, Richard Swenson writes: “Margin is the space between our load and our limits. It is the amount allowed beyond that which is needed. It is something held in reserve for contingencies or unanticipated situations. Margin is the gap between rest and exhaustion, the space between breathing freely and suffocating.”

Matthew 8:18, 24 (CEV) When Jesus saw the crowd, he went across Lake Galilee. (24) a terrible storm suddenly struck the lake, and waves started splashing into their boat. Jesus was sound asleep,

The Center for Disease Control has released new studies indicating a third of U.S. adults sleep less than seven hours a night. As a result, many of them report trouble concentrating, remembering, and driving. In one study, results indicated about 35 percent of people surveyed in 12 states reported they slept less than seven hours a night, on average. A second complimentary study found 23 percent of respondents said they had trouble concentrating because they were tired. Eighteen percent said they struggled to remember things, while 11 percent reported trouble driving.

--CDC: A third of Americans don’t sleep 7 hours, http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110303/ap_on_he_me/us_med_us_less_sleep; March 3, 2011, Illustraton by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Matthew 11:28 (HCSB) “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Workers in the United States get a handful of national holidays off of work, in general they have the fewest number of days to relax when compared with workers in others parts of the world. Even when American workers get time off, they tend to be on call or are required to check their e-mail accounts while away. The main difference between the United States and other countries is that paid time off is mandated by law in many parts of the world, while US workers are not guaranteed annual leave.

Most US companies provide paid vacation as an incentive, but countries such as Germany, Finland, Brazil, and France mandate four weeks or more of paid holidays a year. Brazil and France both guarantee workers six weeks off a year. Studies on the topic have found many American workers are reluctant to be away from the office to protect their job, or they worry if they are gone too long they will find a big backlog of work when they return. A study on happiness suggested Americans maximized their happiness through working, and Europeans found more happiness in leisure. Only 57 percent of Americans use all the days they are entitled to, while 89 percent of French workers do. An American who works in Germany, Nancy Schimkat summed up the difference this way, “(Germans) work very hard, but then they take their holiday and really relax. It’s more than just making money for Germans, it’s about having time for your family and it’s about having time to wind down.”

--Why is America the ‘no-vacation nation’?, http://articles.cnn.com/2011-05-23/travel/vacation.in.america_1_vacation-germans-long-holiday?_s=PM:TRAVEL; May 24, 2011, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Leviticus 23:3 (CEV) You have six days when you can do your work, but the seventh day of each week is holy because it belongs to me. No matter where you live, you must rest on the Sabbath and come together for worship. This law will never change.

In Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: Unleash A Revolution In Your Life in Christ, Peter Scazzero writes, “The core spiritual issue in stopping revolves around trust. Will God take care of us and our concerns if we obey him by stopping to keep the Sabbath?”

--Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: Unleash A Revolution In Your Life in Christ (Kindle Locations 1818-1819). Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

Psalm 9:10 (NASB) And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.

The government of Italy is asking citizens to help the nation’s economy by working Sundays—their traditional day of rest. Prime Minister Mario Monti announced support for a new law that would require many businesses to remain open on Sunday, and add needed revenue to government coffers. The legislation is opposed by the church, small business owners, and Christians around the country because they say Sunday is a time for corporate worship and is considered a day of rest. The European Sunday Alliance is an organization that opposes the mandated extra day of work. The alliance works to improve working condition throughout the European Union, and points to studies explaining the benefits of employees taking at least one day of rest throughout the week. Shop owner Aldina Orlandini said people like to have the shops open on Sunday, but she does not make enough extra sales to make it worthwhile. She added, “People have the right to rest one day per week. The law should mandate a day off.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Italian Christians to Decide: Help the Economy or Honor Sundays,
By Stoyan Zaimov, http://www.christianpost.com/news/italian-christians-to-decide-help-the-economy-or-honor-sundays-8729, Accessed December 27, 2012.

Psalm 127:2 (NASB) It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.

In his book, Leading on Empty, Wayne Cordoro writes, “If we violate the Sabbath rest, something morphs in our soul. We start to get proud, edgy, anxious.”—Jim L. Wilson

Wayne Cordeiro, Leading on empty : refilling your tank and renewing your passion. (Minneapolis, Minn: Bethany House, 2009), 126.

Matthew 11:28-30 (NASB) "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. (29) "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. (30) "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Many people say they want a few minutes alone to think, but results of a study suggestion those people are the minority. The study conducted by the University of Virginia found that most volunteers who researchers asked to spend no more than 15 minutes alone in a room doing nothing found the task extremely hard. In the experiments, researchers asked people to sit in a bare room and spend six to 15 minutes doing nothing except thinking or daydreaming. They could not have a cell phone, music player, or reading material. The only requirement was that the participant remained awake. Though some volunteers cheated in some way, most said they did not like being idle and alone with their thoughts. When given the choice, some of the volunteers preferred to administer mild electric shocks to themselves rather than doing nothing. Author of the study, Professor Timothy Wilson said, “Many people find it difficult to use their own minds to entertain themselves, at least when asked to do it on the spot.” Speaking of those who shocked themselves, he added, “I think they just wanted to shock themselves out of the boredom. Sometimes negative stimulation is preferable to no stimulation.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Would you rather sit and think or get shocked? You'd be surprised, By Will Dunham,http://news.msn.com/offbeat/would-you-rather-sit-and-think-or-get-shocked-youd-be-surprised, Accessed July 4, 2014.

Psalm 46:10 (HCSB) “Stop your fighting—and know that I am God, exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth.”

Research published by the U.S. Travel Association suggests that most Americans don’t use all of the available vacation time and may have a “work martyr complex” that chains them to the office. The data show the typical workers who gets paid time off uses 16 days of vacation per year, even though they are entitled to 21 days. The Association estimates that amounts to over $50 billion dollars a year in lost benefits, or about $500 per person. The research also indicates that the people who sacrifice the most vacation time are actually less likely to get raises or bonuses than those who do use all of their allotted time off. The research suggests that workers who don’t use vacation days fall into one of two groups. They are either workaholic strivers, who love being on the job, or the diligent workers who simply can’t afford to get away and don’t see a point to taking a day off to stay home.—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Why Americans should vacation more — but don’t, By Rick Newman,
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-americans-should-vacation-more%E2%80%94but-don-t-182716436.html, Accessed October 22, 2014.

Mark 6:31 (NKJV) “And He said to them, ‘Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.’ For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.”

A siesta, or afternoon nap, has been a tradition in some cultures for years. The custom is rarer in the larger cities these days, but in the countryside, the best way to escape the heat is still the siesta. In the small community of Ador, a police officer reads an announcement every afternoon advising residents to observe the traditional siesta period from 2 to 5 p.m. The announcement encourages residents to keep children indoors and to turn down TV sets and stereos. The mayor of Ador says residents are not legally required to observe the siesta, but they strongly recommend that people stay indoors especially during the hottest part of the afternoon, which sometimes reaches over 100 degrees. The mayor says other communities have been issuing the same recommendations for years. He added, ”From 11 AM onwards you can’t be in the street or out in the field. All you see are snakes and lizards and other nasty creatures. The heat is suffocating.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Spanish town's summer advice: don't skip your siesta, By Jorge Sainz, http://news.yahoo.com/spanish-towns-summer-advice-dont-skip-siesta-122217960.html, Accessed July 17, 2015.

Isaiah 30:15 (NIV) (15) This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.

Matt Carpenter is the star third baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, who slumped at the beginning of the 2015 season. In May, he missed an entire series because of extreme exhaustion. Carpenter has a strong work ethic that includes arriving early and using his days off for batting practice. So Cardinals manager, Matheny, looks for opportunities to give his star third baseman consecutive days off. Carpenters’ attitude has changed. “I’m at a point now where I’m not going to argue anymore,” he states. “At first, I was anti-day off. That’s just not smart. From a body standpoint and mental health standpoint it’s not the best thing. I think what I’ve learned is when I get a day off, use it. Take it.” --Jim L. Wilson and Daniel Hall

Learning how to rest doesn’t come easy for some, like highly motivated athletes. But rest is essential for all life. It is even spiritual to rest.

Exodus 20:8-10 (NIV) (8) "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. (9) Six days you shall labor and do all your work, (10) but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.

Author Anne Lamont said, “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”

Just as unplugging a computer and re-plugging it allows the computer to reset and start over, it is important for us to unplug at times. God knew this in the beginning, he made us to unplug for one day out of every seven. —Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Exodus 20:8-11 (NASB) "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. (9) "Six days you shall labor and do all your work, (10) but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. (11) "For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.

In Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love, Sue Johnson writes, “Chronic obsessive overwork and burnout have become part of our culture. We think it’s normal.” —Jim L. Wilson

Exodus 33:14 (HCSB) Then He replied, “My presence will go ?with you?, and I will give you rest.”

Researchers at Baylor University have found that workers that take a break in the mid-morning are usually more productive for the rest of the day. Over a five day work week, 95 people were surveyed about their workday habits and overall feelings of well-being. Workers who took a break before lunch were more energetic and focused, and they experienced fewer headaches, eyestrain, and back pain. Those workers reported being happier with their jobs and felt less burned out. The study also found that those who choose to do something they preferred to do on their breaks were more rested. Emily Hunter, one of the study’s lead authors said, “Unlike your cell phone, which popular wisdom tells us should be depleted to 0% before you charge it fully to 100%, people instead need to charge more frequently throughout the day.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

The best time to take a work break, By Megan Elliott,
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2015/10/10/cheat-sheet-work-break/73417008, Accessed October 10, 2015.

Matthew 11:28 (HCSB) “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Interrupted sleep worse for mood than shortened sleep, study finds,
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2015/10/30/interrupted-sleep-worse-for-mood-than-shortened-sleep-study-finds.html, Accessed October 30, 2015.

Psalm 4:8 (HCSB) “I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, LORD, make me live in safety.”

REST

A ground worker for Federal Express was apparently so tired that he fell asleep while loading an airplane and did not wake up until the plane had almost reached its destination. The worker, who works two jobs, was tired and lay down inside the plane to rest. The crew did not see him and locked him in before they left Memphis for Lubbock. When the worker woke up and knocked on the door, the flight crew told him to sit in the jump seat and wait until they landed. A spokesperson said there was never any danger to the employees or the cargo, but they could not remember a similar incident in over 15 years.—Jim L. Wilson & Jim Sandell.

Psalm 127:2 (HCSB)^“In vain you get up early and stay up late, working hard to have enough food— yes, He gives sleep to the one He loves.”

Americans are not taking regular vacations. According to a survey by insurance company Allianz Global Assistance, more than 135 million Americans, or about 56 percent of adults have not taken a week off work to get away in the past year.

After a particularly busy time of ministry, Jesus encouraged His disciples to get away for a rest. God created our world with a work/rest cycle. To remain healthy; spiritually, physically, and mentally, we need to take time from our labors to rest and relax. –--Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-12-months-without-a-vacation-20150813-story.html

Mark 6:31 (HCSB)“He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest for a while.” For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.”

New research suggests that teens that get too little or too much rest are more likely to engage in risky behaviors such as drunk driving. Researchers do not know is sleep issues cause the teens to take dangerous risks, or if they might indicate depression or other problems. They said the link is striking especially when it comes to drinking and driving. Previous research had found a link between insufficient sleep and injuries from car crashes, sports, or workplace accidents. Too much rest is rarer, but investigators found too-little sleep, defined as seven or less hours a night, is very common. The researchers said the results suggest that good sleep habits promote good health in many ways. –Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Research has found a link between insufficient sleep and injuries from car crashes, sports or workplace accidents, By Mike Stobbe, http://www.klove.com/news/2016/04/07/teens-with-too-little-sleep-take-more-risks.aspx, Accessed April 7, 2016.

Proverbs 3:23–24 (HCSB)“Then you will go safely on your way; your foot will not stumble. ²⁴ When you lie down, you will not be afraid; you will lie down, and your sleep will be pleasant.”

Americans are working more and resting less. More than half of U.S. workers left vacation time unused in 2015. A balanced healthy lifestyle is important to health and happiness. Over the last few years, workers are taking four less days of time off per year.

Not only is that harmful to personal and family health, it is bad for the economy. It represents a loss of $223 billion in lost spending on restaurants, home-improvement projects, and travel. Do your part for yourself, your family, and your nation. Take your time off. –--Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Genesis 2:2–3 (HCSB)“By the seventh day God completed His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done. ³ God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it He rested from His work of creation.”

Researchers discovered a genetic mutation that makes a person’s body clock run longer. They say it is like having perpetual jet lag. Alina Patke, who supervised the effort said she tends finds it easy to stay up late, but found she does not have the mutated gene. She said, “An external cycle and good sleep hygiene can help force a slow-running clock to accommodate a 24-hour day. We just have to work harder at it.”–Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Psalm 4:8 (HCSB)“I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, Lord, make me live in safety.”

Ross Douthat insists that the internet and its electronic devices have become a modern-day addiction comparable to opioids, alcohol, and drugs. While it is not likely to kill you, it does require you to focus your life around a screen and be perpetually distracted from time with your spouse and children as well as from friends and the natural world. He states that it “breeds narcissism, alienation, and depression. . . and that it takes more than it gives from creativity and deep thought.”

His suggestion is to get computers out of elementary schools. Facebook should require users to be 16 not 13. High school students shouldn’t bring smartphones to school and kids under 13 shouldn’t have them at all. Restaurants and museums should require people to check their phones. All of this is an effort to free you from the tyrant in your pocket and help you reconnect with the real world.

Christian parents and families should take note here. In addition to these distractions, the internet has the potential to be our greatest distraction to hearing the voice of God. Addiction to electronics is as big a hindrance to spiritual growth as any other addiction. –Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell.

Philippians 4:8–9 (HCSB)“Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things. Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.”

New research suggests that a lack of the rapid eye movement (REM) stage of sleep may increase a person’s risk of dementia later in life. Sleep disturbances are common in people suffering from dementia, but researchers were not sure if there was a relationship between a lack of REM sleep and the chances of developing dementia. First author of the study Matthew Pase, Ph.D. of Swinburne University of Technology in Australia lead a team of researchers which examined data from a study which followed people beginning in 1971 and a select group who had been part of Sleep Health Study between 1995 and 1998. The results found that those who developed dementia spent a smaller percentage of their sleep time in REM sleep than those who were not diagnosed with the illness. Pase said more research needs to be done, but said some of possible reasons included stress or anxiety, which disrupt sleep patterns. He said more REM sleep may maintain brain integrity in the face of changes that occur as people age. He added, ”We do not have the exact answers, but we have a few hypotheses.”—Jim L. Wilson & Jim Sandell

Dreaming may keep dementia at bay, by Ana Sandoiu,

Psalm 4:8 (CSB) “I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, Lord, make me live in safety.”

In his book, The Emotionally Healthy Leader, Peter Scazzero writes, “On Sabbath, we practice eternity in time. We look forward to that day at the end of our earthy lives when we will perfectly stop, rest, delight, and contemplate the glory of God. For a brief moment in time, we reorient ourselves away from this world in all of its brokenness and anticipate the world to come—how things on earth are meant to be. In a very real sense, the practice of Sabbath joins heaven and earth, equipping us not merely to rest from our work but also to work from our rest.” —Jim L. Wilson

Deut. 5:14 (CSB) “but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. Do not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, your ox or donkey, any of your livestock, or the resident alien who lives within your city gates, so that your male and female slaves may rest as you do.”

A survey of 2,000 Americans conducted by One Poll found that most people struggle to find time for themselves. On average, Americans get 43 minutes of “me time” per day and their favorite places to spend that time are in their bedrooms, their backyards, or a local coffee shop. Three of four wish they could spend more time outdoors in order to relax and most admit they don’t use outdoor space enough. As a result, most people did not describe themselves as relaxed. They blamed too much noise, current events, jobs, partners, and kids as the top things that prevent them from getting the rest they crave. An interior designer who helped fund the research, Angelo Adamo, said, “I think because everyone is so in tune with social media and the internet everybody’s closed indoors. But human nature is to be outdoors. For us to be inside all the time, it’s just awkward, it’s unorthodox. We need to spend more time outdoors.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/me-time-americans-arent-getting-enough-and-theyre-taking-it-wherever-they-can-find-it-study-says

Matthew 11:28 (CSB)“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Consumers responded so positively to Popeyes new chicken sandwiches that the fast-food chain had to post signs outside their stores that they had run out. A Chick-fil-A store in Houston postied “FYI We don’t run out of Chicken Sandwiches” on their sign in response.

A nearby Popeyes Chicken and Biscuits restaurant responded by posting “FYI, People need to Eat on Sundays.”

Chick-fil-A’s founder, Sam Cathy did not want his stores open on Sundays to provide a day of rest and the opportunity for his employees to worship if they wanted to.

Acts 20:7 (CSB) “On the first day of the week, we assembled to break bread. Paul spoke to them, and since he was about to depart the next day, he kept on talking until midnight.”

The accepted rule is eight hours of sleep a night is necessary to maintain good health. A study in California has found that there may be a biological reason why some people need less rest than others. Researchers studied the sleeping habits of a 12 members of a family who regularly sleep for about 4.5 hours a night and don’t feel tired. They found the family members had a mutation in a gene. Other family members, who did not have the mutation, slept more. When researchers altered the same gene in mice, they discovered the animals with the mutation generally slept almost an hour less each night than those with unaltered genes. Scientists think the reason is the changed gene caused the individual’s neurons to be more active than those with an unaltered gene. They hope to conduct more research with the hope of gaining insight into why some people develop illnesses linked to lack of sleep.—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

An article in Journal of Community Health reported the findings of researchers who studied the pervasiveness of “short sleep duration,” which they defined as less than seven hours per night. In the abstract of the article the authors wrote, “In 2018, the highest levels of short sleep duration were found for the following categories of jobs: protective service and military (50%), healthcare support occupations (45%), transport and material moving (41%), and production occupations (41%).”

I don’t know about you, but I would want those who are carrying guns, driving trucks, and performing medical procedures to do so with a good night’s sleep. But they are not the only ones that need rest. For people to function at their peak, they need rest. —Jim L. Wilson

Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

American workers are not using all their vacation days and it adds up. Some of the 768 million unused days accrue for use in future years, but 236 million simply disappear. That number of days represents over $65 billion in lost benefit.

However, adding up the lost days and money does not tell the whole story. What about the lost opportunities? Roger Dow, President and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association said "When I see how many vacation days went unused, I don't just see a number -- I see 768 million missed opportunities to recharge, experience something new and connect with family and friends," —Jim L. Wilson

A study by Harvard University suggests that changing regular sleep patterns increases the risk of heart disease or heart attacks. The study found that if when the difference was more than 90 minutes during an average week, the chances of heart disease doubled over a five year period. After controlling for cholesterol, sleep apnea, and other known risks, the link was still very strong. The study suggested the best things to do were to exercise more, make bedrooms comfortable and cool, avoid food and drinks that act as stimulants, develop a regular routine, and create a dark place to sleep which enhanced rest. Study author Tianyi Huang said the results high day-to-day variability in sleep patterns may be a “novel and independent cardiovascular risk factor.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Research indicates that the position you sleep in affect overall health. The study found that 47% of Americans sleep in the fetal position which rests the spine and helps clear waste in the brain that contributes to the development of Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. Sleeping on your side in the log position with your arms by your side reduces sleep apnea and neck and back pain. Research found that sleeping on the stomach leads to more tossing and turning along with low back and neck pain. Sleeping on the back keeps the head, neck, and spine in line, but also causes snoring and could contribute to thickening of the carotid artery. Researchers say, the best thing to do is sleep on your side and add a soft pillow or folded blanket between the knees to reduce pressure on the hips.—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

https://www.click2houston.com/health/2020/02/10/here-is-how-yor-sleep-position-could-be-affecting-your-health/

Kriti Arunkundrum, a junior from San Jose reflected on the positive side of COVID-19 in an article for the Mercury News. She wrote, “I think that this time in quarantine has made me slow down my fast-paced life and do many activities for my own enjoyment. It has been a small relief from the constant stress of a fast-paced life of a student in the Bay Area.” —Jim L. Wilson

The most common way to think about getting enough rest is getting enough sleep. However medical internist Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith said the idea of rest should be considered more like the word ‘restoration’ which is vital to many different areas of life. For Dalton-Smith, rest encompasses physical mental emotional and spiritual areas, and rest should be social sensory and creative. She said rest is not just a lack of activity it involves knowing the kind of things that restore or fill a person back up. The doctor cited brain studies where MRI’s show just viewing a picture of a “happy place” like the beach or the mountains, can be as effective as being there. She said social rest can come from evaluating relationships and focusing on the positive aspects they bring. Sensory rest could be as simple as turning off the computer or television and creative rest is doing something a person finds fulfilling. Dalton-Smith said the place to begin to address exhaustion is identifying your unique deficits and asking “am I doing something that’s pouring back into me? Because that’s when you start feeling better”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Therefore, since the promise to enter his rest remains, let us beware that none of you be found to have fallen short.

To help celebrate the 95th anniversary of A. A. Milne’s fictional character Winnie the Pooh, a partnership is offering guests an opportunity to rent a representation of the character’s home. Visitors to the English cottage will have an opportunity to tour the Hundred Acre Wood and play Poohsticks by dropping sticks into a stream. The cottage has a sign which reads, “Mr. Sanders” over the door, and cupboards stocked with pots labeled “Hunny.” It is also stocked with mats, journals, and throw blankets to encourage renters to embrace living at their own pace, emulating Pooh’s lifestyle. The house rules include instructions to keep hands out of the honey pots and to reminded visitors to have a snack of “a little something” at 11am. –Jim L. and Jim Sandell

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2021/09/16/Bearbnb-Winnie-the-Pooh-cottage-Disney-Airbnb/7311631811772/