Evan and I were enjoying a discussion on the practice of Sabbath that was brought up by our time with Andy Crouch.   Like many (especially in the West and especially in the Northeast and especially with those who serve in a community in the shadows of NYC but I’m justifying and you get the point) the parts of the practice of Sabbath give me trouble.

I saw that Evan posted something on this but haven’t read it because I don’t want it to influence this post.  I think it will be interesting to see what we both come up with.  So here’s what I am thinking as I am drinking a cup of coffee from Peru in Steel City Coffee House in Phoeniville, PA. 

One of the few things in my life that I am generally pleased with is that I actually do take time to pray, meditate, read Scripture and whatever.  I try to have a time of Sabbath each day (or late at night as it is in my case).  I normally do this after I have littered, kicked my dog and gossiped about it.  Whatever goodness I claim in my time with the Lord, the idea of taking a day of Sabbath has been a different matter.   

I think it was in Velvet Elvis that Rob talks about his practice of Sabbath.  Almost a year ago, Tim Lucas from Liquid Church said in a service that he has a day where he turns off the cell, doesn’t look at email, and is with his family, etc.  I’ve heard similar stories say, “I tell the office don’t call me, I’m not answering, (there’s always some kind of concession for emergency), I’m spending the day detached from the world and in communion with God and family …

My practice of taking an actual day (like in the fundamentalist’s literal 24 hour period – lol) has always been sporadic, inconsistent, and at times non-existent. 

I’ve always envied those that have had found the discipline and community that have allowed for that Sabbath to happen.  Often I wonder if I can have it or if it’s that I won’t let myself have it. 

Can one practice Sabbath without turning off the cell phone?  Frankly speaking, I think that’s the overused example.  In fact, I’d like to make the argument that I am not controlled by my cell phone.  I hardly answer my phone when it rings.  In fact, I spend minutes being teased by my friends how they can never get me and so on.  Probably the most used feature is my voicemail.  Some of my friends read this blog and I know some will forever begrudge me but I think they know this anyway.  Because of the constant unproductively in my life, even my closest friends whom I love spending hours discussing my favorite subjects are sent to voicemail.  In fairness, I think most would say I call them back.  Sabbath from my phone is not what I need. 

Nor is it from this blog.  I present my case by the infrequent postings and the limited comments.  Regarding twitter, I have to remind myself that I have twitter.  These things do not control me. 

Perhaps the things that control me are the pressures and stress that I either inflict on myself or allow others to inflict on me.  There is also a healthy pressure that I labor for and I call it ambition.  A lot can be said about that but we all know that ambition has the potential to be a worthy pursuit.  That said, I confess the need for Sabbath.

But I think where I end up landing is here – What I think I need is not Sabbath for the sake of retreating from something but Sabbath to pursue someone/thing greater than I normally do.  I hope to reflect on this again.  

Session two began on the idea of Practices and Disciplines Andy defined “discipline” as a simple thing, maybe even uninteresting, done over and over so that you will eventually be free to do other things. He compared it to playing scales on the piano. Then he actually played scales on the piano. Normally that sort of thing that would bug me but I guess when you’re intelligent, talented and a have a great sense of humor, you can pull it off. He talked about “Breathing” – if you want to live musically, you need to learn how to breathe. Which led to a discussion on Sabbath. If we want to live more musically as Christians, then we have to learn to stop what we are doing and do the spiritual equivalent and breathe.  

For more, check out Evan’s notes.

Though I have been away from my family more than usual, it was good to be with my seminary friends on this retreat.  I’ve been looking forward to this retreat since they announced the speaker would be Andy Crouch.  So, after introductions, icebreakers, and a Sprit-filled time of worship, it was Andy’s time to speak.  He began from behind a keyboard talking about how he saw this sign at a Starbucks that said, “Live More Musically”.

Evan’s post has good notes, so check that out.  A lot of the time was focused on creating this chart between the benefits of playing the violin or playing a cd.  The point made was what gave the greater satisfaction in the long run.  Though there were advantages to the cd (like wide-distribution, great quality, portability), its satisfaction/enjoyment expires and descends.  While learning to play the violin becomes almost infinitely greater over time. 

Andy described that in order to continue to enjoy the playing of a cd, you need to constantly buy cds and it is similar to how we describe addictions.  We have set up our churches similar to this as well.  One of the issues that I have complained about over and over is the consumer mentality of churches.  Because we’re teaching people how to play cds, not teaching them how to play the violin.  So much more to say, but you get the idea.