With this month's focus on Mother's Day, I hope you've had opportunity somewhere in the celebrations to prop your feet up a little... ...and REST.

I know, it may seem like a foreign concept in our Mommy days of fullness and busyness. We're responsible for so much care of home and hearts; and if you're in the days of nurturing little ones, the tasks just pile up at times.

Actually, that goes for the care of big ones too! Mom responsibilities shift as our children age, but they definitely don't disappear altogether.

What's a mother to do? And how do we honor this practice of rest in our days?

We must be intentional about creating space for pausing. I know from experience quiet time for Mom just won't happen naturally. Rest is God's gift to us so we take care not to burn out in this journey of motherhood.

While I definitely don't have it all figured out, there are a few habits I've found incredibly vital to being a more rested Mom. Those are the words to emphasize: more rested.

Just aiming at being a little more relaxed than you are currently. There's no need to try and overhaul everything at once, step by step changes are more lasting.

And if you're in the phase of newborns, infants or just have another reason for your normal patterns of rest being 'off' - take heart! It's a phase which will pass. Roll with it until normalcy returns.

Tips for Rest

1. Prioritize sleep :: whenever, however, wherever it can happen for you! If a full night's 7-9 hours is possible, try not to cut yourself short. Take naps as needed or able, they're good for you!

2. Purposefully pause in your day :: STOP your work - all of it. This can be for however long you decide, even 15 minutes is beneficial. For a short time somewhere in your day, every day...pause everything and enjoy a quick relaxing activity.

Read, listen to music, enjoy coffee or tea while sitting, nap! or whatever brings you refreshment. Then go ahead and get back to work, it will be waiting for you!

3. Plan for extended time away :: once a week, once a month, whatever works out to be a regular (or semi-regular) pattern. The goal is to plan for it. Go out to a Bible study alone, gather with girlfriends, a date night, or just roam and window shop. Establish a habit a longer times of pausing from your regular rhythm of work to enjoy time off.

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Mother's Day shouldn't be the only celebration of all we do and who we are to our families. A great gift to both yourself and your family is a Mom who is rested and refreshed!