“Just relax”, he said. “OK,” I responded but I didn’t relax. Have you noticed that having someone tell you to relax often has the opposite effect? The request/suggestion/order just makes me more tense. All of us recognize the value of relaxing for our overall health. It was part of the divine plan to have a day of rest after six days of work. With our human ability to make things more difficult and even more tense, we came up with all sorts of restrictions to try to force people to relax on the Sabbath. Such restrictions have often invited rebellion instead of relaxation. Worship should be restorative, and contribute to our sense of well- being. Being with people who care about us and who we care about feels good. Singing together lifts the soul. Sharing our prayers brings comfort, encouragement and help. I will be glad when can return to pot luck meals at church and coffee and cookies at Sunday School and before services. I enjoy being a leader and like to preach and teach, but it is great to sit and chat with a coffee and cookies. I don’t even worry about what we talk about. It can be about weather or sports, books or movies, God or faith, even problems or griefs , being together helps me relax without it even having to be suggested. So don’t worry about relaxing, just take a deep breath, grab a cookie and just enjoy it together.