One of the things we so miss about our time in Germany: A day of REST!
Being influenced by the church, Germany has Sunday as its day of rest....stores are closed, offices are closed, you do not cut your grass or do yard work, most folks do take a break from the work week. You find people going to church, visiting family, walking, biking, eating out (the restaurants have limited hours they can be open on Sunday) , etc....
In America we pride our selves on being open 24/7...and that has me exhausted! Even though we, as a family, are trying not to participate in the seven day constant, it is hard when that energy is always surrounding. The constant energy needs to be fed and it sucks at you with all the activity and opportunities being so easily available. It is so easy to want to run to the grocery to get a jump on your week, to pick up that something at Target you forgot, to cut the grass, to wash your clothes. Yes they all help your "to do list" get checked off, but when do you rest? I am finding it takes a lot of energy and discipline to get my things done before our Sabbath and not to wait till the Sabbath to catch up, BUT that energy is restored by not having to think about or do any of that on our day of rest.
There seems to be a movement afoot that supports this idea:
http://www.sabbathmanifesto.org/
I have also found a good reference in the "Emotional, Healthy, Spirituality" book by Peter Scazzero.
