Moms are busy. Nobody stays hungry, dirty, or sick on our watch. We’re pros at multitasking–we can fill the crock pot, change a diaper, and answer emails in the seconds between meetings and after-school pickups. Loving our family is why we get up in the morning.

Even so, we get tired. Here are a few signs we need to park the minivan and take a break:

• We fantasize about an ER visit so we have an excuse to lay down.
• Our “tall” coffee has evolved into a venti with an extra shot.
• We try to mute the kids like they’re Alexa.
• Romance is such a distant memory, we forget how we conceived kids in the first place.
• We use a hat and concealer as a shower substitute.
• We miss eating food that requires silverware.
• We yell. A lot.
• When friends ask how we’re doing, it feels like a trick question.
• We stay up too late on the couch because the walk to bed feels too exhausting to manage.
• The last six movies we’ve watched in a theater are now available at Toys R Us. (Well, until they go out of business.)

It’s time to just stop for a minute. Take a bath. Hug the dog. Doodle. Pray. Buy flowers for no reason. Read a book. Eat chocolate. Do your nails. Pray some more. Order takeout. Flirt with your man. Nap. Take a walk. Play a game. Window shop. Breathe. Stay unplugged until you remember who you are.

Rest was God’s idea. He created a day each week to step away from the crazy. Jesus himself escaped the crowds to spend quiet hours alone with his Father in prayer. He promises sleep and strength so we don’t have to handle it all on our own.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

What says “rest” to you? How do you know when you’re overdue for a break?