Pause.

I haven't posted a blog in almost 6 months. I haven't fallen off the face of the planet, but sometimes I wish I could.
Life has a been busy. A good busy, but busy none the less.
When I was in junior high (or possibly a freshman or sophomore in high school) my youth pastor did a sermon on "selah", a musical notation. Which is like "pause". (From hebrew... In the psalms of david). To be honest, it didn't mean a lot to me then. I mean, I got the point, but no matter how hard I thought my life was in high school I was never really busy. Even when I had stuff going on every single night I wasn't busy.
But now I am. I am VERY busy. And Selah has become a very important thing.
If you don't get the meaning of Selah here it is: a pause in life. A time period set aside for peace.
Most cultures have some sort of Selah. Whether you're in Mexico during the 2-4 siesta or in Afghanistan during a prayer call, or India on a meditation stool, or china practicing tai chi... You get the picture.
But somehow, in our American work-aholic culture Selah is often skipped. We might have an hour long lunch break, or have an afternoon power nap, but we ignore our need for both the physical and spiritual " re-charge".
Perhaps Selah Iooks different for different people. For some it might be a walk in the park alone, for others it might be going out dancing with friends, for some it might be a long car ride with the person they love.
For me, honestly, Selah looks like all of those things. And I need it. For me, my Sundays are my Selah. I get to enjoy the mornings with a great church family, and lunch with my favorite person, but often the afternoons are filled with cleaning or laundry when all I really want is to take a nap.
Why is Selah important? At this time last week I was so burnt out. I didn't want to go to work (even though I love my job), I didn't want to do laundry, I didn't even really want to go to  Walmart. And even after a great and semi-relaxing (laundry filled) weekend, I'm still finding myself a little tired this week. Not physically tired (I sleep very well when working 40-50 hours a week), but emotionally and mentally drained.
I want to be clear, Selah isnt just "me time" or going on vacation... Most of the time you get home and say "I need a vacation from my vacation". Selah is a recharging of the spirit, a reconnection with God, and a reassertion of your beliefs (beliefs= dreams, convictions, desires, calling, pretty much anything you know about yourself, God, and others you're in relationship with).
David wrote Psalm 3 when he was running away from his son Absalom, who was trying to kill him.
The whole chapter not only includes the word " Selah" many times, but is about resting despite the things that are "chasing" you. Verse 5
"I can lie down to rest and know that I will wake up, because the Lord 
covers and protects me."
If David can find time to rest in the Lord while being chased by a patricidal maniac, surely we can find time for Selah amongst the responsibilities and fears of our lives.