Posts Tagged: insomnia

“Strange and Wonderful Creatures”

On March 28, 2025 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

I did not sleep enough last night. Five hours of sleep may be enough for some, but not for me. However, when I tried for a while to go back to sleep after waking up at 1:00 a.m., I realized that it was not going to happen. I might as well get up and work for a while. My schedule is flexible. I can go back to bed when I get tired. This is a wonderful freedom, and I should not take it for granted. Thank you, Jesus!

So, I got up, drank two cups of coffee, graded students’ assignments for several hours, did my 12-step report, and sent out readings from a couple of 12-step books—Answers in the Heart and A State of Grace.

The reading from Answers in the Heart for today, spoke of being ourselves and being okay with being ourselves. The author used a strange and wonderful phrase to describe how we ought to think of ourselves. We should regard ourselves as “. . . this strange and wonderful creature.” I often think of myself as strange, but wonderful?!? Not so much.

And yet, in Psalm 139:14, we read: “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”

The psalmist confesses that all God’s works are wonderful, but he also realizes that he himself is one of those works. He was wonderful and wonderfully thankful. And I am wonderful as well. And so are you.

“I am strange and wonderful” is my mantra for today. May it be yours also.

 And now, good night, all you strange and wonderful creatures. This strange and wonderful work of God is going back to bed.

, , ,

“Letting Myself Be Loved”

On May 15, 2020 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

I did not sleep long enough last night (in my opinion). However, what do I know?! In any case, here I am!

God, in terms of step 11, if your will is that I go back to bed and sleep a while longer, I wouldn’t be opposed to such a thing. Four hours or so of sleep doesn’t feel like enough.

My wife and I got quite a bit of our garden worked up and planted yesterday. It was great fun playing in the mud with my lovely lady. I felt as if we were back in the Garden of Eden. Despite the thorns and thistles, we are still commissioned to work the soil.

Here is a wonderful epigraph from one of my 12-step readings this morning: “What is moral is what you feel good after.”

  —Ernest Hemingway

Sounds about right to me!

. . .

Listening to “Bali Run” and “Jean” on loop, at three in the morning, while eating almonds and drinking chocolate milk—nothing like it!

. . .

And God said, “Just sit there, and let me love you.” So, I did!

Not anxious, not criticized, not expected to do anything. Just loved.

Sometimes, God doesn’t want anything at all from us, except for us to sit there and be loved. And blessed are those who allow God to do that!

A wonderful cool breeze ruffles the papers on my desk. No mighty rushing wind, no tongues of fire, just a wonderful cool breeze. It is enough, and more than enough.

, , , , ,

“JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF SLEEP?”

On January 4, 2018 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

“It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.”  (Psalm 127:2, New Living Translation, italics mine)

“28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

  29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

  30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”  (Matthew 11:28-30, New Living Translation, italics mine)

“1 God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it.

  2 For this good news– that God has prepared this rest– has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God.

  3 For only we who believe can enter his rest.” (Hebrews 4:1-3a, New Living Translation, italics mine)

 

Here is my journal entry for this morning:

Thursday, January 4, 2018

I am not getting as much sleep as I think I need.  I am working more diligently, which is good.  However, I’m not sure getting four hours of sleep is very good.

On the other hand, I don’t want to lose any sleep over my lack of sleep.  As the saying goes, “there is no problem so bad that it can’t be made worse by worrying about it.”

Sleep, like life itself, comes as a gift from God.  It comes in the amounts and times that God determines.  I need to learn to be content.

Perhaps rest is more important than sleep.  Perhaps I will be alright if I can go through the day restfully.  I think that it is even possible to work in a restful manner.

Jesus spoke of God as always at work (John 5:17).  The authors of Genesis and of Hebrews (Genesis 2:2-3; Hebrews 4:1-3a) talk about God resting from all his works.  If I am made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26-27, I too can learn the fine art of balancing work and rest.

And, of course, there is always the chance to nap.

 

, , , , , , , , , , ,
Follow on Feedly