Sabbath & Hygge

The weekly Sabbath Society email slid into my inbox early this Friday morning and to my delight Shelly addressed hygge--which is something I've been trying to cultivate more and more in our home. For the uninitiated, hygge is usually translated as coziness, but it really encompasses much more. It's the cultivation of an environment that promotes contentment and well-being. And as, Shelly said in the context of Sabbath, "think of hygge as creating an atmosphere of love and belonging." And from her book on the same subject: "Sabbath reminds us that we belong because we are already accepted. Rest requires that we be who we are and nothing else. A life built upon Sabbath is contented because in rhythms of rest we discover our time is full of the holiness of God." (pg. 27)

This is the first year where I felt like we lived hygge well. Last month we were spending time with our church friends and the subject drifted to the dreary, wet winter weather we've had this season. But Nathan and I looked at each other and realized that we hadn't noticed! Not that we hadn't observed the weather (can't miss that as a farmer), but that it had not affected our souls. We were enjoying the snug so much that the darkness, clouds, and rain only meant more warmth and comfort to be found within.

Hygge also has a celebration aspect to it. A cherishing of simple pleasures, whether it be candlelight, fuzzy blankets, or a cup of something warm. A pause to savor. The Hebrew word shabbat is also translated as celebrate and is related to the Hebrew word menuha that describes a "specific kind of celebratory rest" or "joyous repose" according to one online dictionary I peeked inside. It was the word used for God looking back on the 7th day and celebrating the good work of Creation. He menuha-ed. He rested.

There's a lot of cultural baggage around the practice of Sabbath (we witnessed some of the still active 'blue laws' in action last Sunday down in Lexington County), but Jesus made Sabbath sound a whole lot more like a gift to mankind in Mark 2 than a burden. And we certainly love celebrating gifts if Christmas and birthdays are any indication. In Shelly's words this week, "Sabbath is a day for celebrating what we have when we are prone to focus on what we lack."

So while physical rest is lovely on Sundays for both Nathan and I, one of the things I want the spiritual discipline to grow in us is a deeper and deeper contentment along side a growing trust that God provides. We're not slaves to the western god of productivity. We rest in the God who can accomplish so much more in six days than I could ever accomplish in seven on my own. "The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing."