Learning to Rest

One of the greatest faults I carry that is a reflection of our culture is my seemingly inability to stop and rest.  In sharing with friends my upcoming vacation plans which also include preparing for my sabbatical next year there was a concern lifted by one that I would not truly rest.  My son said I don't rest.  As I mentioned I planned to spend time swimming and reading "fun" books we got to talking of swimming.  My friend says she loves to swim, and she will be staying in Tuscany during the time I'm in Umbria and invited me to come up for a poolside day with her.
Then came my confession of swimming, I swim like a cat, flailing about in the water with my primary goal to keep my head up and gulp for air.  I also enjoy playing in the water with others, and do plan on bringing a beach ball....but the only time I truly relax while in water is back floating stroking.  At this point my son points out to his friends that my idea of a relaxing back stroke is to cruise back and forth in the pool as if I was practicing to escape from Alcatraz.  Hmmmm, my son knows me so well, as he says, I never really rest.
Yet, I feel this is so important to our spiritual well being, a practice I myself struggle with.  It was a great recognition and revelation this past year that with many years of working, often 7 days a week, that I have approached exhaustion on a grand scale recently.  Many changes have happened that have deeply effected my energy and it is so wonderful to be a part of a great worshipping congregation that explores ways to deepen their missional lives, and sabbatical time and learning to rest as God rested on the 7th day is calling out to me.
During my time preparing for leading a Spring Retreat in Umbria in 2011, amid the work of exploring, planning, and contemplating what would create "true" retreat I found a place that gave my soul rest.  Through worship, through walks, but mostly through a people so deeply connected as community my heart found a place to breathe-spirit.   It would be my wish that all could find such a place for themselves, a place to live fully in the spirit, a place to feed their souls.  A friend in Umbria said you can find the spirit no matter where you are, and yes, I truly believe that.  God's grace is EVERYWHERE, but there are special places as the Celts' named as "thin places" where spirit and earth are so close.  I think those places are different for different people, they are places that feed the parts where our hearts hunger for what seems to be missing.
In the busyness of our days preparing/working, there were special times of day with my new found  friends that took me to rest and refreshed my soul, they were but snippets of time in a busy 2 weeks.  They were reminders of my own need to practice Sabbath, to practice rest so that my soul can be strengthened.  It is a natural pattern for folks there that I don't find present in our culture.  I look forward to a new and essential learning for my life during sabbatical, and a very short practice time in the coming week.
What are the essential learnings God is calling you to?  How do you take time for sabbath rest?  Where are the "Thin Places" that feed your soul?  What do you do to nourish not only self, but to give thanks and praise to the Creator and giver of life and love?