Over the course of this long Memorial Day weekend I was delighted to see and hear all the ways people were spending their time off. Some people headed to the shore. Some to the mountains. Some explored locally and some just vegged out at home.

What did you do this weekend? How do you unplug from work and your daily responsibilities? What works for you and why?

I confess that I have a hard time unplugging—not just from technology, but from my need to be productive every possible moment. It is a real discipline for me to step away from work, even though I know that downtime leads to better work and renewed creativity.

Does unplugging come easily for you or is it more of a challenge?

Unplugging has a spiritual dimension as well. The Bible is full of encouragement and examples of people taking time apart, what the Bible calls Sabbath.

In the Book of Genesis it says that God’s last act of creation was to rest. Jesus regularly took time apart from the disciples and crowds. Sabbath isn’t just about giving our bodies and brains a rest. It is about reconnecting with God. It’s about remembering that God loves us not for what we produce, create, or accomplish, but simply for who we are.

How does unplugging renew your soul? How does it put you back in touch with God?