Invited to Dwell & Delight

Letting go of productivity and learning to float

Inhale: I am made for connection

Exhale: I am more than what I do

Learning to Float

A year ago, my friend started teaching me how to surf. It’s been such an invitation to play, to mess up and try again, and to delight in the ocean’s beauty. As a newbie, I mostly stayed in the white water, catching the waves after they’ve crashed. I would catch a wave, then get back out and do it again. No floating for me.

One time, I noticed my friend out there on her board, floating with the other surfers. I had been going back and forth, catching a wave and then getting back out there, hardly pausing. Partly because I was intimated of heading out past the big breakers, but also because I had let my productive-oriented mindset infiltrate even this playful and enjoyable activity of surfing! My husband was with my kids and unconsciously I had thought, I better catch as many waves as I can.

Yet part of surfing, is sitting on your board looking out at the waves. Yes, looking for the next wave, but also just enjoying the beauty. And being.

Photo by Nathan Ziemanski on Unsplash

In Rest, We are Invited to Dwell & Delight

In the book of Genesis, God breaths life into humans and they become a living soul. This word soul in Hebrew ‘nephesh’ refers to the whole person. The Jewish Talmud teaches that nephesh, “the life-sustaining soul, is synonymous with prayer.” In other words, soul is “a praying being [one who could commune with God]” (Gen 2:7 TPT).