Rest? What's That?

Self-care is something we clergy folks talk about a lot. Who cares for the caregiver?

At various points in my life, I have had different self-care regimes. In seminary, I began each Reading Week (the week prior to exams) by reading a novel that had absolutely nothing to do with my studies! I found that I was able to focus and concentrate on my course reading having taken a day or two to read for fun. When I was serving as a hospital chaplain, I would take advantage of the physical therapy department and get lots of massages. And when I was serving as an associate pastor in a traditional church in Indiana. I would meet regularly with my writing group. Or take road trips to Chicago.

Well, now I live in the Windy City, doing the whole new church thing. My schedule is constantly in flux, so I do not have a regular day off. Thus, my self-care regime is often lacking. And these past few weeks I have been recuperating and catching up from my various travels in December and January. So today's challenge from the RevGalBlogPals is especially tough for me right now. List five things I do to for renewal and to give myself a break. I am thinking, "Rest? I think I remember rest... Renewal? Sounds vaguely familiar... Self-care? I seem to recall that it's supposed to be important..."

Here is the challenge: In this week that looks unlikely to hold a complete day off, I am pondering renewal. List four ways you like to relax or give yourself a break. Then name a fifth, something you've never been able to do, a self-care dream.

So here goes... Ways I like to relax:

1. Reading for fun. While I enjoy much of the literature on ministry, spirituality, and theology, It's always nice to pick up a good novel (and sometimes even something mindless like a mystery). It is not unusual for me to read an entire book in a day, and it is by far the most perfect way to spend a day alone.

2. Writing. For fun. Music, poetry, the novel I have been dabbling with for years...

3. Taking a walk. For fun. Not the hitting the pavement I do for building a new church, but a nice walk with no agenda other than to en joy the company of whomever I am with. Even if (especially if) that is only myself. And I don't mind the cold. In fact, I find it quite invigorating. I just bundle up.

4. Playing games. I am a games junkie. I love them all: Apples to Apples, Taboo, Fluxx, Carcassonne, Uno, Pinnochle, Euchre, Scattergories, Scrabble, Boggle (no one can beat me at Boggle), et al. Well, actually, I have decided that Monopoly is an incredibly boring game imparting horrific values, but I revel in most other games. And while I take my game playing seriously, the tension is so different from the other tensions in my life that I actually find it relaxing.

And my self-care dream:

5. A spa weekend retreat with my best rev gal pals. While I enjoy the monthly breakfasts of the Wild Women of Worship (and today's breakfast was fabulous - Thanks Kerry!), I think a weekend of massages, walks, facials, and giggling would be pure bliss.

Now, how do you relax? Tell me your ways...