Insomnia

Recently I have had a lot of trouble sleeping. 

Actually, let me re-phrase that...I've had a lot of trouble "staying" asleep!!  I have no problem "going to" sleep....my head hits the pillow and I am out within a matter of moments.  However, I wake up with my mind racing!!  I don't know if the moon, springtime, age, (uh-um,cough-cough), or stress, or all of the above are contributing factors to my internal alarm clock that has routinely been going off at 2am or 3:13am or 3:27am on any given day.

I do know that when I wake up, my brain is clicking off things with the rapidity of a machine gun!!  Grocery lists, to-do lists, lunches that need to be packed, calendars that need to be coordinated, people to pray for, flowers that need to be arranged, carpools that need to be driven, sock drawers that need organizing, blogs that need to be written, children that need to be loved on, Bible studies that need to be read!! And all of these things MUST be thought of by my brain at the same moment and solved immediately!!  (Funny how exhausted I feel just reading this!!)

So what do I do about these "Must Solves" that wake me up from my much needed beauty sleep?  Well, for starters, I toss and turn and ask my husband, "Are you awake?" To which he politely replies, "I am now!" I also get up after aforementioned tossing and do crazy things at 4 in the morning, like arrange flowers, organize spice racks, and check calendars!!  I know...ridiculous!! 

But after such middle of the night stalkings of fresh flowers, tupperware lids, and lunch boxes, I climb back in the bed and pray, "LORD, calm my anxious heart! Allow me to rest in your arms.  Quiet my brain and allow me to know that YOU are in control of all schedules, carpools, calendars, lists, and sock drawers! YOU never slumber nor sleep because YOU are in control and I don't need to be!"  And our ever faithful God rocks me back to sleep for just a few more moments of rest.  And amazingly, I wake up refreshed.

Now, what I really need to do is flip the order.  I need to pray the moment that my mind sounds the alarm clock.  I need to ask God to quiet my mind and relax my spirit before the big "I" gets the rest of "me" racing and rolling and tossing and turning!  Finding a verse that I can repeat to myself that will remind me of God's goodness and His faithfulness and His Control should be on my lips before my feet hit the floor.  I need to remember that God created me to be a "human being" and not a "human doing" and while there is plenty for me to do, it is not necessarily at 3:27 in the morning!  What He would rather me to do is to "be" about Him!!  Resting in His arms, so that I am ready to work with Him when the morning light comes forth!!

So tonight when I wake early in the morning, I think I will try repeating one of these verses:

"In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD,
   make me dwell in safety" ~Psalm 4:8

"He will not let your foot slip — He who watches over you will not slumber" ~Psalm 121:3

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."  

 ~Philippians 4:6

"Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” ~ Lamentations 3:22-24

 "When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet." ~Proverbs 3:24

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." ~ Matthew 6:34

"Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble,  

And He brings them out of their distresses.
 He calms the storm to a whisper, 

so that its waves are stilled and hushed.
 Then they are glad because they are quiet; 

So He guides them to their desired haven." 

~Psalm 107:28-30

Rest well, sweet reader!!

God's Word is the best lullaby I know!!

 

All is Grace and Blessings,

Stefi