I tried to get rid of my piano. The few times I’ve used it didn’t warrant the space it occupied.

My daughter Elise protested the loudest, “How will I play my Christmas songs this year?”

“Take the piano,” I said.

“I don’t have room for it, but one day I will.”

I kept the piano and will dust it off in time for Elise’s two-song concert on Dec. 25. Like in years past, we’ll gather to hear “Jingle Bells” and “Up on the Housetop.”

For someone who plays once a year, it’s surprising that she hits the right notes. Or maybe we sing so loudly that we don’t notice the wrong ones.

Either way, she’s close enough with the notes, the timing and the rests that the songs are recognizable.

Rest stops, whether in music or life, are important. They give us time to breathe.

It comforts me to remember that rest is God’s idea, and He modeled it for us in Exodus 31:17. “It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.”

God built into the framework of our lives the need for rest and refreshing. Rests should be part of the rhythm of our lives, not a luxury we indulge in only when exhausted.

Especially during this hectic Christmas season, let’s balance work with rest.

Let’s provide some space between our activities to reflect, take a breath and gather energy. Let’s realize the importance of rest.

Ronny Michel may be reached at rmichel@rtconline.com.