It’s Sunday.
I woke up at 4:30 like usual…
Well, closer to 5:00 today.
Stayed in bed a little longer because I went to bed later than I wanted to.
My goal is 10:30 PM, but last night my daughter brought up a trip she wants to take—with her boyfriend’s family—and I just couldn’t let that go without a conversation.
It’s not that I don’t trust her. I do.
But I also know what it means to be human.
You don’t walk into temptation and hope for the best.
You guard against it.
That’s what I told her.
And maybe what I was also telling myself.
The Illusion of Stillness
Sunday is supposed to be the “rest day.”
But for guys like me, rest isn’t always restful.
Not because I don’t enjoy it—
but because I know what happens when rest turns into passivity.
I’ve lived through seasons where I wasn’t doing anything.
Not really.
Sure, I was busy. I had a job. A routine.
But I wasn’t building. I wasn’t pushing forward. I wasn’t shaping anything that mattered.
I knew what I wanted in my mind and in my heart,
but I wasn’t willing to put down the remote and the snacks and the comfort to do the work.
The work in business. The work in relationships. The work in health. In mindset. In faith.
I had dreams but no discipline.
Intentions but no action.
Vision, but no structure.
And here’s the truth that’s hard to admit:
I wasn’t resting. I was avoiding.
Rest Isn’t the Problem. Drift Is.
Today, Sundays feel different.
I wake up early. I write. I publish. I prep my weekly email. I tinker with my site.
I do things that matter—because I’m finally living with momentum.
And I guard that momentum like it’s sacred. Because it is.
I’m not afraid of peace. I like quiet.
But I’ve also learned that stillness, if I’m not careful, becomes a gateway drug to the wrong kind of comfort.
The kind that turns into days… then weeks… then years of drift.
So when I rest now, it has to be intentional.
Purposeful. Directed.
Because if you rest every day, Sunday isn’t a Sabbath.
It’s just another day of not doing the thing you know you need to do.
And like Hebrews 12:11 says: “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
That verse reminds me that the discomfort of discipline isn’t a problem—it’s part of the process.
What I’ve Learned About Rest (That Took Me Years to Understand)
- Rest isn’t just the absence of work.It’s choosing a different kind of productivity.
- Spending time with my wife? That’s not rest. That’s investment.
- Going to church? That’s not rest. That’s alignment.
- Watching a movie with my son? That’s not checking out. That’s connection.
- You don’t earn rest by burning out.You rest to recover from intentional effort—not to justify stagnation.
- Real rest doesn’t lead to regression.It leads to readiness.
If you’re not pushing yourself during the week, you don’t need Sunday to recover.
You’re not resting—you’re just stuck.
Lazy Bones and Fatherhood Mirrors
I don’t think I’m lazy.
But I know I like comfort.
And comfort’s a hard habit to break.
It’s why I’m protective of how I spend my time.
Why I set early alarms.
Why I still write, even on “off days.”
Why I’ve got to keep moving, even if it’s just one step.
I’ve seen what happens when I don’t.
And I’ve watched that same temptation show up in the next generation.
My kids spend more time in their rooms now—on devices, watching YouTube, playing games.
And if I’m honest, I judge it more than I say out loud.
Not because I’m mad at them. But because I’ve been them.
And because I know you can’t force drive into someone.
They have to choose it.
But man, I hope they see it in me.
I hope they watch me build instead of just preach.
I hope they catch the fire—not just hear about it.
What Sundays Teach Me (Every Week)
Sunday teaches me to pause—but not to stop.
To reflect—but not to spiral.
To rest—but not to regress.
It teaches me that productivity isn’t just output.
Sometimes it’s presence.
Sometimes it’s memory-making.
Sometimes it’s taking my wife’s laptop and showing her how to post a blog because she’s trying to learn.
Sometimes it’s watching a show, folding laundry, or just being available when someone needs to talk.
And sometimes it’s saying no—like I did last night.
Not because I want to control my daughter.
But because I know what it means to guard what matters.
And I want her to learn that before she learns it the hard way.
If You’re in That Still Place Today…
If you’re reading this on a Sunday, and it feels like just another “off” day,
And you’re wondering why you still feel tired, behind, or stuck—
Let me just say this:
You don’t have to do everything.
But you have to do something.
One intentional step.
One conversation.
One prayer.
One moment of clarity.
Not to earn your worth.
Not to prove you’re “grinding.”
But to stay aligned with the life you say you want.
If today’s post hit home—this might help too:
I created a 31-day check-in called Start Strong for guys who’ve been stuck before and don’t want to go back.
It’s not a hype plan. It’s a daily gut-check built around faith, discipline, and showing up—even when you don’t feel like it.
If you’ve ever needed something simple, honest, and consistent to keep you grounded, this is it.
