Savoring the Sabbath
by Michele Husfelt on April 28, 2025
What brings you joy and delight that you don’t make time for during the week? How can you enjoy God’s creation in a way that refreshes your soul and draws you near to Him?
One of my favorite Sabbath activities is driving down the back roads and stopping at old churches and cemeteries along the way. You know, the ones you often pass and think to yourself, “Someday, I’m going to stop and visit that little diamond on the side of the road. Someday, I want to peer in those stained-glass windows and catch a glimpse of the past. Someday, I want to meander through that old cemetery and let my imagination loose, curiously pondering how those buried on that hillside lived. How many children did they have? How old were they when they passed? Did they know Jesus, and perhaps I will meet them one day? What was their family life like, and what were their favorite pastimes?”
Yesterday was a beautiful day, and when my husband and I finished tidying up the church kitchen after the service, I asked him if he was up for one of my favorite Sabbath afternoon activities. He nodded and said he would comply as long as there was coffee and/or ice cream along the way. A quick lunch later, we were on our way.
We drove south to drop off some recyclables at the dump and then began our journey. A few important rules apply to this activity: you can’t have a destination, you can’t go down a road you’ve been on before, you can’t use a GPS, and you need to stop for ice cream along the way (added for driver’s compliance).
We made our first right turn and drove and drove, admiring the horse farms, wineries, and green pastures. At our first fork in the road, we took it. We stopped at our first destination and wandered the cemetery, noting war heroes and husbands and wives, curious how they went on after their spouse’s homegoing. We were saddened by the markers denoting infants who passed much too soon, and wondered how their lives may have made a difference in the world.
We continued to mosey along and took many more forks in the road, praising God as we took in the beauty we often race by. We stopped for ice cream, sat on a picnic table beside a babbling brook, popped in a little roadside market (where we had to find someone to check us out), and thoroughly enjoyed our time together.
Wherever you live, I am sure there are roads nearby that have been less traveled. I encourage you to take a few hours and allow the Spirit (and the forks) to take you where He will. Be curious, be blessed, and be refreshed!