Ep 8 | What Our Family of 9 Actually Does on the Sabbath

There are some weeks when you limp into the weekend.
The laundry is piled high. Your calendar has been full. Someone has been sick. You’ve stayed up too late trying to catch up on work. By Saturday morning, you don’t feel refreshed—you just feel exhausted.
We’ve been there.
In fact, that was our week recently. Six of our seven kids were sick. We were both sick too. It was also the week our Slow & Savor Society envelopes had to be mailed, which meant several late nights finishing orders. By the time Saturday morning arrived, we truly felt like we had crawled across the finish line.
When I woke up and remembered it was Sabbath, my soul rejoiced.
It felt like taking the deepest breath after holding it all week. Like falling into a pile of cozy blankets. Like resting in the arms of Jesus.
That’s what Sabbath has become for our family.

Sabbath Is More Than a Day Off

When people hear the word “Sabbath,” they often imagine a long list of rules or something only pastors or especially spiritual families practice.
That hasn’t been our experience at all.
For us, Sabbath isn’t about following a checklist. It’s about receiving a gift.
Every week, God invites us to stop striving, loosen our grip on control, and remember that our worth isn’t found in what we accomplish. It’s found in who we are as His children.
That changes everything.
Instead of asking, “What are we allowed to do today?” we ask a different question:
“What does our family need today?”
Some Sabbaths are full of adventures. We might hike a trail, soak in the hot springs, or spend the afternoon outside.
Other Sabbaths—like this past one—are spent curled up on the couch recovering from sickness.
Both are beautiful.

Creating Something to Look Forward To

One of our favorite parts about Sabbath is that it’s full of delight.
Throughout the week, we try to eat healthy meals, stay on top of responsibilities, and keep life moving. But Sabbath feels different.
It’s the morning for special cereal.
It’s the day for donuts or coffee cake.
It’s pizza night.
It’s dessert without guilt.
Those little traditions might sound simple, but they’ve become part of what our children look forward to every single week.
Sabbath reminds us that God isn’t only interested in helping us survive life. He delights in giving good gifts to His children.

The Small Rhythms That Shape Our Day

Our Sabbath doesn’t look exactly the same every week, but it usually begins on Friday evening.
We light candles around the dinner table, sing the doxology together, share communion, and pray before our meal. Then we linger.
No one is rushing to the next activity. We laugh. We share highs and lows from the week. Sometimes we invite friends to join us. Sometimes it’s just our family gathered around the table.
Saturday mornings are slow.
We wake up a little later, sit by the fire with coffee, read Scripture together, and watch the sun rise over the Colorado mountains before the kids come downstairs.
Later in the day, we’ll often play board games, go for a walk, read books, paint, or spend time outside. In the afternoon, everyone has quiet time—including us.
One thing we’ve learned over the years is that healthy families need different kinds of connection.
On Sabbath, we intentionally make space for three things:
Time together as a couple
Time together as a family
Time alone with God and ourselves
Some weeks one of those needs more attention than another, and that’s okay.

Sabbath Doesn’t Just Change One Day

Here’s something that surprised us.
After practicing Sabbath for nearly ten years, we’ve realized it doesn’t just affect Saturday.
It changes Monday.
And Tuesday.
And every other day in between.
Because when you practice letting go one day each week, you slowly learn to trust God with the other six.
The peace begins to spill over into everyday life.
That’s one of the greatest gifts Sabbath has given our family.

Start Smaller Than You Think

If you’ve never practiced Sabbath before, don’t feel like you have to copy exactly what our family does.
You don’t need seven kids.
You don’t need candlelight dinners.
You don’t even need twenty-four hours.
Start with an afternoon.
Turn off your phone.
Eat a meal together.
Go for a walk.
Read a good book.
Ask yourself one simple question:
“What would bring rest and delight to my soul today?”
Then give yourself permission to receive that gift.
We truly believe Sabbath isn’t something you add to an already busy life.
It’s the rhythm that makes the rest of life sustainable.

If you’d like to hear more about how our family practices Sabbath—and get a glimpse into what a typical Sabbath day actually looks like—we’d love for you to listen to this episode of The Rooted Family Podcast above.
And if you’re wondering what you could actually do on your own Sabbath, be sure to download our free guide, 101 Ideas to Do on the Sabbath. It’s filled with simple ideas to help you rest, delight in God, connect with your family, and begin creating a life-giving rhythm of Sabbath in your own home.