The Major League playoffs begin today and I'm pumped. The Padres sneak into the playoffs and travel to St. Louis. With the way Chris Carpenter ended the season on the schnide (sp?), if the Padres can eeke out a game in St. Louis, the curse in St. Louis will continue. The Cardinals aren't built to perform in a park like Petco. I say the Padres pull a colossal upset.

My playoff predictions: Astros versus Padres; Red Sox versus Angels. World Series: Astros versus Red Sox. And the Red Sox make it back-to-back, breaking the heart of the Rocket, Roger Clemens.

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Aren't some days just made for oversleeping? For not just hitting the snooze button, but turning the alarm completely off in favor of more shut-eye?!

This was one of those mornings for me (and Trae).

Our regularly scheduled elders meeting was cancelled this morning and, not feeling the pull of an early morning meeting but feeling the strain of having moved twice in 45 days, I shut the alarm off and went back to sleep.

Now I can hear the echoes of my dad who used to admonish during my teen years: "Get up! Your wasting the day away." But sometimes, sleep is the best medicine for a weary body.

Not only that, sleep is smiled upon in Scripture. Listen to this in one of Solomon's Psalms: "In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat -- for he grants sleep to those he loves" (Psalm 127.2). One version renders that last phrase: "he blesses those he loves even when they sleep."

Regardless of whether sleep is the blessing or other blessings are poured out as we sleep, rest gets God's inspired approval.

Is your pace too hectic? Are you too stressed? Are you weary, even in doing good? Then take a personal Sabbath. Take a break. Get some rest.