A Note from Liz Borth, Deaconess…

If you were to pie-graph the hours in a typical day or perhaps a conglomerate day representing an entire week, like most American workers, you would probably have a very small wedge for rest and relaxation. Or maybe your piece of the pie for rest is exactly what God expects of his beloved children.

Children don’t understand very well what it means for parents to take a break. They demand food and attention, crave cuddling and sympathy, expect to be shuttled and overall demand life go according to their plan all the time. It is hard to take a break when you love your children. The responsibility of caring for them often bleeds over the boundaries of self-care. You will agree that it is important to take a break and “get away” from those responsibilities. Some parents take a family vacation and, because the daily routine is broken, believe they have rested. Sit on a bench in one of our local theme parks for 10 minutes about 5:00 p.m. and purposefully watch the parents of families on vacation. It doesn’t seem to be the happiest place on earth.

In my called position as Deaconess, I sometimes feel like a parent who needs a break, but won’t leave the children alone. I was away for a few weeks this summer, but I liken it to a family vacation because I kept “my children” by my side and under my control the entire time. I spent $100 in telephone overages because I just couldn’t let go of “my children”. In July, along with thousands of other church workers, I spent seven days at the LCMS convention. Our days were filled with decisions, frustrations, and fraternity spent solely on the purpose of properly educating and training “our children”. Shame on me for not following the command of our Heavenly Father and the example of our brother, Jesus.

In the beginning, God rested from His work. In Genesis 2:2, He tells us when His work was finished He rested. In Exodus 20, God explains the importance of taking time for physical and mental rest and commands us all to rest on the seventh day. If each person stopped to rest, then all could rest. Think about it. When a child rests, the parent can rest. When a child is not demanding food, attention, transportation or entertainment, a parent is able to take a real break. The Pastoral staff is just like a parent. Some of the parishioners demand feeding; some need cuddling and sympathy; some crave attention, or demand shuttling, and all of them have needs at different times. Paul compliments the church at Philippi for when he was in need they helped him again, and again (Philippians 4:14-16). To the Thessalonians, his instructions are to “respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.” (1 Thess. 5:12-13) When you take a break and get away to relax and renew yourself for the daily work of caring, providing and loving your family, think about those you expect to feed your soul, give you spiritual words of comfort and encouragement. Be the Word of God they should listen to and make them stop to rest.


I am in His service for His glory,
Liz Borth
Deaconess