Message from Pastor Mori
Dear RFUMC Family,
"You need rest, pastor, it's time to take a rest."
I know, I need to time take off; however, I also know that I have chosen to not take off now
because I have things to do next week such as an ordination retreat and preparing the Asian Heritage worship. But I will take some off time in middle of May, and I will go to see my mother-in-law who I love so much!
So today, instead of taking off I am writing about taking off.
Do you know that 768 million vacation days went unused in 2018 and 55 percent of workers did not use all of their paid vacation?
According to the U.S. Travel Association, workers who had paid vacation didn't take all the paid time off their job offered in 2019. Also in 2018, the average American earned 23.9 days of paid time off but took only 17.4 days.
Why do we not take time off?
I assume that there are many reasons, especially when the pandemic may not allow people to take vacation trips, but it also shows that large workloads, time pressures, and working from home have led us to an expectation that one be available to work 24/7.
And this chronic overwork causes stress that leads to health problems. So yes, you need take a break and I need take break.
However, if your work environment and situation does not allow you to take vacation and leave work for a while, I want to share some options that may help a lot.
Take a short break during the day! I could not take a whole week break, but I can take one whole day whole off and turn off my email alarms and during weekday evenings, I can intentionally set aside two hours to enjoy cooking and eating a meal. According to the Journal of Applied Psychology (2018) these informal microbreaks of just even a few minutes throughout the day lead to improvement mood and job performance.
The other way to experience time off is coming to worship and having a sabbath day with God.
Ironically, after Easter, I saw many church members and leaders who felt tired after the fabulous service. So, I am working today and preparing another worship so that you can come and experience the restorative power that comes from God.
To Christians, worship is the place for restoration. Therefore, come to worship, and take your stress and offer up to God and pray to God to gain new power.
9 So then, a sabbath rest still remains for the people of God; 10 for those who enter God's rest also cease from their labors as God did from his. 11 Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall through such disobedience as theirs.
[Hebrews 4:9-11]
Come take a rest.
This is the place for you!
Blessings,
MORI
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