I was downstairs cleaning my office last night when I came upon some brochures I took from a hotel I stayed in last time I was in Kansas City. I was in the room with my brother and I was joking about how deep and spiritual they were trying to sound (or succeeding in sounding). Alex said, "I think they are just hotel brochures Matt..." in his voice that is also saying, "You think about everything way too much... maybe you should go find the hot tub in the picture instead of analyzing it." Probably some ironic truth to his tone for sure, but I was definitely right about the hotel's ads.
The title of the brochure that is principally about the beds is called, "westin at home" and the one about the hotel's amenities is, "experience renewal". "welcome to westin" (are capital letters un-relaxing???) says, "calming colors, elegant florals and ambient lighting greet you in the Westin Lobby. Music elevates your mood, while our White Tea by Westin fragrance creates a soothing atmosphere. Experience a destination where you can be at your best (this is a recurring theme of the brochure... The copy editor was apparently reading Joel Osteen). The headings for this section go like this, "living well, energize your mind and body, refresh your mood, personal wellness, destination discovery, breathe, your personal space, endless possibilities, new doors open..." I won't even get into the westin at home brochure (although they seem to overlap).
My point in talking at length about a hotel (where the thread count was nice, but I don't recall all of this metaphysical wholeness enveloping my heart, mind and soul), is to point out that we have trouble resting. I have trouble resting, and I am trying to write a book about the Sabbath! We are either working too hard - see any of the Vacation Movies - or we are seeking to do nothing and it is driving us nuts - see Office Space or About a Boy - whereas the balance is probably something in between. I enjoy reading, but it can seem daunting. I enjoy surfing the net, but it is difficult for that to be restful - especially when I'm trying to accomplish something. I enjoy church, but it is rarely restful/renewing/see Hilton Brochure. I enjoy sleeping, but either get too much and am annoyed, or get too little and I can't put my contacts in. I enjoy people, but they wear me out. I like a walk in the woods, but not enough (apparently) to go more than a few times a year. When is a vacation ever really relaxing, especially since we are in a perpetual orange level security threat (am I really supposed to be more attentive to other people's bags?).
It is difficult to rest. It is difficult to Sabbath. It is difficult to embrace the good gifts of God that offer respite for our souls. it is difficult to stop working for some of us, others don't really work hard enough to feel that we deserve a rest. Yet, we are commanded to rest, God models this rest in Genesis, Jesus doesn't alter this command when he comes, the Jews developed 39 categories to understand what rest is and isn't (not rules, categories for rules!), and I have trouble resting. I don't know if the Westin (westin) has the answers...
1 comment:
now you're talking my language...i find that capital letters are in fact, not restful. there's something softer about lower case that feels less academic/professional/schooly than the lower case feel akin to text messages/instant messages/informality. (the ellipse also feels this way to me, but you know that)
I like the paragraph that begins to spell out a tension of how "restful" any given activity/pursuit really is. I also like how you're beginning to spell out and articulate how two general camps would approach "rest" if given the chance...I think you could develop those movie references further. Is there a biblical equivalent to the office space guy? (you are in seminary...)
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