Alvin Toffler wrote, “The illiterate of the future are not those who cannot read or write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” For me, the Sabbath Day—a day God institute as a break from our day-in-day-out routine—is the best day to do this (re)(un)learning.
I took an unusual Sabbath break this weekend. Several of my family members are missionaries, and it is rare that they are all in the United States at the same time. This summer happens to be one of those times, so we took full advantage of catching up and relearning one another.
We all met at my grandparents’ old farmhouse in southern Ohio. Grandpa died in 1984, and Grandma died just a few years ago, but their legacies are alive and well. In no particular order, here are a few things I (re)(un)learned this weekend…
- Nehemiah was an extraordinary leader that I want to emulate.
- My daughter is a persistent and naturally-talented horse rider.
- Every time my extended family gets together I learning something new about their past… and my past.
- I love my family heritage!
- It was so cool watching all the boys play the same games in the barns that I used to play as a boy!
- Sleeping in the same room with Betsy but in a separate bed makes for a lousy night of sleep. The closer I am to my best friend, the better I sleep.
- Eating meals with 15 people around the table forced me to listen more intently to the one who was talking. Why don’t I do this all the time?
- One should not play American football, rugby, ultimate Frisbee and soccer (world football) on the same day without a good supply of Motrin handy.
- Bradford, Ohio, is just as I remembered it as a kid. So is my grandparents’ farm.
- My puppy only had to get shocked once by the electric fence to learn her lesson. Sometimes it takes me more zaps!
- I missed my new church family this weekend!
- Fireside chats are one of the best places to really get to know someone better. And a great place to reveal my own heart more intimately.
- I need to keep my camera close as there is so much that I want to document and preserve for my kids and grandkids.
- These kinds of weekends should be more regular in my annual calendar.
- Sitting on the couch snuggling with Betsy is the best wrap-up to any weekend.
Did you (re)(un)learn anything on your Sabbath? Whether or not you did any (re)(un)learning last week, today is the start of a brand new week. Let’s make it a goal to (re)(un)learn something this week, and use our next Sabbath to reflect on it.
Craig T. Owens 