Can't sleep!

I rise early, before the sun is up; I cry out for help and put my hope in your words. I stay awake through the night, thinking about your promise. (Psalms 119:147-148 NLT)

School has been out for nearly 3 weeks and I am still waking up at 5:30 every morning! I'm not sure why. Many times I wake up thinking about things I have to do, but not during the summer. I would like to say I'm waking to think about Gods promises, but that's not always true. However, when I do wake at odd times, I have taken the opportunity to spend time in prayer. It always seems to help. Maybe Gid is waking me for that purpose!

Summer school is over for Stephanie and I at the end of the week and then the real vacation begins. I can't wait for the relaxation, exploring this great country, spending time with the grandkids and, YES, sleeping in. It's time to rejuvenate. It's time to refresh the mind and reconnect with the Lord on a deeper level. It's a right of passage for me every year at this time. I can't wait!

Dear Lord, thank you for summer time and a time to get away. I am blessed to be in your presence wether it is 11 at night, 4 in the morning, or during a busy day. I consider my life blessed because you care for me and want to be with me. Please grant me rest and peace in my time away from school. Renew my soul, watch over my heart. Draw me closer to you and your plan. I Praise you for the great joy in my salvation and the life you have granted me. Amen!

A good nights sleep!

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:26 NIV)

Eventually everyone needs a old night sleep. I know many people that have a difficult time getting rest. I have not had major problems doing that, but I have times where I wake up in the middle of the night an can't get back to sleep. At those times I just can't get my mind to stop thinking long enough to fall back to sleep. When that happens several nights in a row it "my flesh and my heart fail". I can feel my lack of sleep affecting my day and thus the people around me.

Or those of you that have advanced sleep disorders, I apologize for the simplicity of my solution. I have found my best defense to an overactive brain in the middle of the night is to pray. Speaking to my creator, sharing my concerns, expressing my joy, and listening to the spirit, are so soothing it sends me to sleep. I believe in the power of God. He can cure all things and heal us from anything. Sleeplessness is not any different. God is the strength of my heart. He is my portion forever. Praise God for his healing power and the ability to get a good nights sleep. 

I write late!

When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. (Psalm 94:19 NIV)

I write most of my blog posts late at night. I reread them in the morning and then post them before I read the newspaper. I do this, partly, because it takes me some time to wind down from the day. My time with the Lord is the very best way to relieve my anxiety. My mind is in constant motion. There is always one more lesson to prepare, one more grade to enter, one more email to reply, or one more post to make. Focusing on the Lord removes the stress. It removes the anxiety, and it provides the peace to gently rock me to sleep.

I find prayer an bible study are my greatest comfort and instruments of peace. My time with Jesus gives me the mental strength to relax my mind. I think we all need time to unwind after out hectic days. Many people use destructive means to relax, drugs, alcohol, an inappropriate websites don't provide the peace from building a relationship with Christ. Real peace and joy comes Christ. I know this first hand. Praise God for his wonderful peace and the joy in my heart! Good Night!

Sleep

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8 NIV)

I was exhausted yesterday. It's the first time I remember nearly falling asleep at school. I got home, went to a meeting, and then crashed hard. The older I get the longer it takes to physically recover from a busy trip. I am thankful The Lord provides rest and safe sleep in the midst of our busy lives. 

I have not had any problems sleeping. Really, I haven't had difficulty sleeping and staying asleep for years. I believe my peaceful slumber is due to my faith in Jesus Christ. I have learned, with 90% success, to turn my stresses over to Christ. When I find myself stressing out I just have to go to prayer and release the object of my stress. It really works. The Lord of my life cares about my sleep, my stress and everything that occurs in my life. Praise God for his wondeful peace!

24 hours!

For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. (1 Thessalonians 5:9, 10 NIV)

To say that God is amazing is an enormous understatement. I can share 53 years of his "amazingness". The plan to send his son, have him live a human life, suffer the humiliation of crucifixion, rise in three days, and the sending of the Holy Spirit, is truly amazing.

These verses spark more thoughts of amazement. Now that I am a follower of Christ I live with him 24 hours a day, even while I sleep.

Sleeping is so important to our healthy lives. Nearly 1/3 of our lives is spent there. How we live our waking life greatly affects how we sleep. I sleep like a baby. I read my devotions, write the first draft of this blog, pray, and sleep. I'm not anyone special except to say that I'm a child of God. I have restful nights because of my Lord. I have busy days just like everyone else. This weekend has been filled with a Football game, CMA meeting, family, church, and more. I was so tired yesterday. This morning I am rested and ready to go again. I don't stress about the next day, anymore. I don't worry about the sins of my life. I don't stress about schedules, conflicts, deadlines, or other lifetime trials. I rest easy in the arms of a savior that loves me with an infinite grace. I rest easy that my entire family is under the watchful eye and powerful hand of God.  I am together with Christ my entire life, even when I am resting from a busy day. Praise God for his 24 hour love!

Rest

As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness. (Psalm 17:15 NIV)

Earlier this week I was exhausted. I had to get some sleep. The last two days I have caught up on my sleep and feel much better. I went to bed early and had a nice long nap each day. I praise God for the rest he provides when I need it. 

I should have one goal in my life ...... To see the face of Jesus with my family, friends, and coworkers. When we leave this Earth we will get to be in the presence of Jesus for eternity. The rest we have will be more glorious than any nap or long night of sleep. After all the pressures and stresses of life we will be satisfied and relaxed. The hope of that future drives me through every day of my life. Praise God for his plan for my future here on this Earth and in Eternity with him.

I can't sleep.............Praise God!

Psalm 63 (New International Version, ©2011)

 ⁶ On my bed I remember you;
   I think of you through the watches of the night. ⁷ Because you are my help,
   I sing in the shadow of your wings. ⁸ I cling to you;
   your right hand upholds me.

Do you ever have a hard time getting to sleep? On occasion, I wake up at 3 or 4am. I always have difficulty getting back to sleep. Sometimes I start thinking about all the tasks I have the next day. Many times, this happens when I have a big tournament to host, or several different events going on at the same time. IIt really can be furstrating be awake at 4am in the morning, wanting to go back to sleep. But, instead I am going through the day like it was already happening. 

 A few years ago, when this happened, I decided to just spend this special "awake time" praying. At first it was not easy. I lost concentration and would always drift back to thinking about the day ahead. But, the more I do it, the easier it becomes. Now when I wake up in the middle of the night, I naturally just use it to spend time with God.

I wonder if this is what David was going through? Obviously, being King, he had worries and stresses that kept him awake at night. But, "he thought of God through the watches of the night."  It can be a great time of quiet. It can be a great time of bonding with the King of the Universe. It can be a great time for God to speak to my heart. 

I can't say I look forward to waking up in the middle of the night. But, I don't dread it anymore. I'm not as frustrated. Maybe it's Gods way of getting my attention. Maybe he just longs to be with me and knows this is a time when he will get my undivided attention. So, "Praise God..........I can't sleep!"

No Rest for the Weary!

Hebrews 4 (The Message)

 ^1-3For as long, then, as that promise of resting in him pulls us on to God's goal for us, we need to be careful that we're not disqualified. We received the same promises as those people in the wilderness, but the promises didn't do them a bit of good because they didn't receive the promises with faith. If we believe, though, we'll experience that state of resting. But not if we don't have faith. Remember that God said,

   Exasperated, I vowed,
      "They'll never get where they're going,
      never be able to sit down and rest."

Question of the Day! -- How many of you are tired? It seems like I never get enough rest and really, I don't know anyone who says they do. We take vacations. We have weekends off of work. We get 2 hour delays for Fog! We enjoy all sorts of leisure activities. Yet, we very rarely rest. I have, just about, given up on rest. We are on such a merry-go-round of life. Maybe it's more like a roller coaster! It's like a roller coaster that never, ever stops. Even if I want to get off, I can't. I have a choice. Either to stay on the crazy, wild, fast, roller coaster or jump off.  Neither option is that great. But, in Christ we have good news. We may not know how to get off this roller coaster and get rest, but we do know that their is an end. The end is promised with faith. We can look forward to that perfect "sit-down and rest" with God. God's goal for us is to enjoy that perfect rest for all eternity. We have to accept that gift. If we don't choose to follow Christ, we will be exasperated. We will never know where we're going. We will never be able to sit down and rest.  Just think about it. Think about never getting to sit down and rest. Think about spending all of eternity never being able to rest. If that doesn't get you to make the right choice nothing ever will. We may not be able to get rest while we are here on this earth. But, my lord and my savior is preparing a place for me. That place will be a place of perfect rest! Wow, I can't wait! Until then, I better go to bed and get the rest I can!