Source: lightbox.time.com via Yvonne on Pinterest
Lately I've had some sleep issues. Sometimes it seems as though going to bed an hour later than normal signals to my brain to go into hyperdrive. Where as I lay down my brain thinks I must organize every thought for my current and distant future until I know all the secrets of the universe. Well I do not know all the secrets of the universe yet and I do not believe that I am going to accomplish this at any point while drifting in and out of consciousness. At this point my brain alternates trying to solve all my problems with worrying about anything you can imagine to worry about in a nonsensical manner.
My brain says, "Remember those people that were nice to you earlier?"
"Yes", I say as I try to roll over to sleep.
"Maybe they thought you were stupid."
"I don't think so, they were nice." I think in my grogginess.
"Well you never know do you?"
"I'm trying to sleep, shut up!", I think.
Then I continue to lay there half thinking ridiculous thoughts, half ignoring them trying to sleep.
So I've cut out caffeine recently. Just like a diet though as soon as my mind realizes that I'm going to deny myself something it begins to think I need it more than anything life could ever offer. I may drink a cup of coffee every other day but now my mind believes I just might need it everyday and starts to romanticize the act of drinking coffee.
My brain-"Remember how wonderful it was to get a cup of coffee at Barnes & Noble and sit down and read while Owen played at the train table?"
Me-"Um, that was 3 years ago."
My brain-"But it was so wonderful."
Me-"Well not only is that not an option with Noah the boisterous 2 yr old but I get shaky when I drink coffee and haven't slept well."
My brain-"But it would be wonderful."
Me-"You're grasping."
Which reminds me I went out with the boys to the mall the other day and Family Christian Bookstore had travel mugs for $5. I wanted to get one to carry my DECAF-earl grey I treated myself to buying last week. I picked up several different mugs with various designs and scriptures on them to see which one I liked. One of them had cute little coffee cups all over it and had the scripture, "Be still and know that I am God." I was struck by the irony of downing caffeine and then struggling to still my thoughts to hear from God and I just couldn't buy it. Felt hypocritical. :)
I'm listening God!
So I picked out a forest scene with the words, "May the peace of God be with you always." Since that would be what I am going for right now.
I've also recently put down Christian self-help books for the moment. Any book other than the bible teaching about anything. I need a mental break, a bit of chosen silence, waiting on God without the aid of other people experiences/teachings/etc. I need simplicity. More music, more art, less talk. More nature, less pie charts. More community, less memoirs. More God, less worry, less self-help, more joy. More him, less me?
I trust my sleep will come in line as I trust him and let go more.
I saw a quote somewhere in my pinterest wanderings, "To let go is to fear less, Trust in God more and freely give the love he's given to me."
I just want to go one step further and remind you that you have to accept His Love 1st before you'll be free to give it out. You don't deserve it. The point is that Jesus died so that you don't have to try to deserve it anymore. He loved us enough to tear the curtain between us and him. To say I will fulfill the law so that we can be together. It's not just about eternal life or living up to a new set of impossible rules it's about an extravagant love that cares about our every need and desire.
Once I had a dream that showed I had a desire in my heart for accompaniment to a song I wanted to sing and God heard my thoughts and someone came up to play guitar alongside me. He said he was tuned to my heart.
Before Noah was born I had hoped secretly to have Noah on Friday the 9th of April before Travis went to work so I wouldn't have to call him back and worry about getting to the hospital. I was getting large and uncomfortable and I thought, "Travis would have the whole weekend off, my sister-in-law would be town, it would be perfect timing." I didn't pray it because it seemed like a silly thing to ask God. Friday morning though I went into labor and Travis was with me every step of the way. I was able to labor at home some and like I had been praying I didn't need the epidural(because I wanted to recover faster and hold my baby without being too tired). I also prayed that there would be peace over this baby and this birth and when I was handed Noah I felt this incredible peace and joy wash over me. I was so blessed in this birth and felt my prayers were more than answered. God cared about my secret desires as well.
And here's a song I like:
Jess :)
