Life is about Living

Want to really know what will help you sleep better tonight?  One of the best strategies for getting a good night's sleep begins the moment you wake up in the morning.  When the things of eternal value are pursued during wakefulness, sleep is easy. The conscience is clear--no regrets. No worries.
 
In the dogged pursuit of things that matter sometimes we fail to recognize the obvious.  Those moments of time to be embraced before they quickly vanish into the past.  Sometimes we stumble upon the signficant serendipitously, like finding the pearl of great price.  It was there all the time.  But the treasure was found only after recognizing it's presence.  Capturing the moment.  Life is about living for eternity--one precious moment at a time.  Sometimes those "things" crawl into your lap.
 
This morning I was hit over the head with this principle. Instead of lightning rounds in the hospital before the crack of dawn, I had the priveledge of staying home to help the kids prepare for school.  Hoping to catch a quick devotion while my five children were jockeying for a place in the bathroom, I sat down for a quick study of the Psalms.

Out of nowhere, Charlie my four year old crawled into my lap with his morning devotional--a lego dinosaur comic book.  God spoke volumes to both Dad and Charlie through that "lego" devotional. 

Life is about living, nuturing relationships with eternity in mind, knowing that we have captured those moments prepared for us to invest in the lives of others.

Speaking of psalms, this one reminds us of the futility of our own self sufficiency and the need to focus on a lasting legacy--those little ones entrusted to us.  If  you want to sleep better, think about putting a priority on those relationships God has given you.

¹ Unless the Lord builds the house,
the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the guards stand watch in vain.
² In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to^[a] those he loves.

³ Children are a heritage from the Lord,
offspring a reward from him.
⁴ Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are children born in one’s youth.
⁵ Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their opponents in court.

 

 

Sleep on it!

Your sleep posture: Does it Matter?

  Probably the last thing that crosses your mind as you lie down to sleep is the significance of your sleep position. Recently there has been a lot of buzz about how your sleep posture may be affecting the quality of your sleep. Instead of blaming your bed it may be your posture that is the culprit for your sleeplessness. Although sleeping flat on your back may be good for your neck, back and joints this position can worsen snoring and sleep apnea by causing your tongue to close off the airway. Sleeping on your stomach worsens gastroesophageal reflux, diminishes the depth of your breathing and hyperextends your neck. Probably the best position is dozing on your side. The side position complements the natural curvature of your spine and allows your airway to stay open as you rest. But sleeping beauties—beware. Sleeping on your side may worsen your wrinkles as you press your face upon your pillow. You should choose a sleep posture tailored to your individual needs—one size does not fit all.

Dr. Idzidkowski, a sleep specialist, maintains that your sleeping position is also linked to a specific personality type. Wherever you go—there you are—even as you sleep. For example, the “freefall” types, those that lie on their tummies with their arms out, like they’re jumping out of an airplane, are often the gregarious, brash and sensitive types. On the other extreme those who rest on their backs with the arms out—the “starfish” stance—tend to be more friendly, helpful and receptive to others. Apparently the most common is the fetal position—almost 41% sleep in a ball. These personalities are often tough on the outside but tender on the inside.

I don’t think sleep specialists are ready to describe my sleeping habits. If “Extreme Sleep” was a TV reality show, I would win hands down at putting sleep to the test. In medical school I was so exhausted that I once slept standing up during surgery while holding retractors. I’m not proud to admit that! I’ve fallen asleep at the steering wheel of my car after staying up for three days during surgical residency. I’ve been so sleep deprived that I’ve fallen asleep eating soup. I’ve even slept on the floor of an African bus with pigs and chickens—probably infested with some rare deadly type of ebola virus.

Has it ever occurred to you that God is also interested in your sleep posture? The most important position that you can embrace is not a physical one—it’s a position of surrendering control of our lives over to the Shepherd of sleep.

You can rest assured:

1. Knowing that God has removed your sins “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12).
2. Trusting that God is watching over you and working for you as you rest (Psalm 34:15; Psalm 121:4).
3. Understanding that your future is secure in His providential care (Jeremiah 29:12). You have nothing to fear or worry about—whatever you face tomorrow God has planned it for His glory and for your good.

Tonight as you prepare for rest make sure you get into the proper “spiritual” position. Resting in a clean conscious before God and man is the softest pillow that you can experience. Fall to sleep in His arms.

Sleeping with your baby?

What do you do when you feel that gentle nudge from your child in the middle of the night asking to cuddle up with you in your bed? This probably goes against the opinions of most sleep gurus but my wife and I allow them to climb in and rest with us. We want our children to feel free to come to us day or night—waking or sleeping—for comfort, reassurance and guidance. Nurturing a relationship of trust and openness with our children is worth the loss of a little shut-eye.

Whoever said, “those who sleep like a baby usually do not have one,” spoke from experience. It’s sometimes scary to see how our dozing toddler practices his midnight tackling drills right in the middle of my back. Tebow beware—linebacker Charlie Page is coming through the ranks. Charlie always seems to glue himself to us instead of spreading out in our king-sized bed. When I move to get a little freedom, Charlie follows—almost like a magnet. My own sleep-shadow! It seems as though children have an innate need to have someone close in the wee hours of the morning.

Has it ever occurred to you that the worries, regrets and fears that you may experience as you fall asleep may be a reminder to curl up to your Heavenly Father? As God’s children, we can take refuge in a heavenly Father that invites us to be close to Him as we lie down to rest. Your “Daddy” is not inconvenienced or bothered by your midnight crisis of faith. The Lord who watches over you never slumbers—He awaits you with open arms. Remember that you are as close to God as you chose to be. “Come near to God and He will come near to you” James 4:8.

What are the barriers that separate you from intimacy with God tonight? Wherever you are, whatever your need—it all begins with worship. David gives us some pointers in the Sixty-Third Psalm as he runs for his life from his son Absalom.

“On my bed I remember You; I think of You through the watches of the night, because You are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings” Psalm 63:6-7.

·         Remember God—think of some times in   your past that God has showed up in a big way for you.

·        hink of God—Recall His attributes and His character—His unfailing love towards you—how it is even better than life itself (Psalms 63:3).

·       Understand that God is your help—surrender control and allow God to do for you in the nighttime hours what you cannot do for yourself. Appreciate the truth that God has your back covered as you rest.

·       Sing. Yes sing to the One who gives songs in the night (Job 35:10). Maybe it’s the rawness of a song of sorrow and pain. Or perhaps it’s one of joy and gladness. One rendering would suggest that we sing “for’ (or to obtain) joy. Have you ever considered that making a melody? Nevertheless, sing in the solitude of the night watches.

·      Experience His presence—Being under the shadow of God’s wings reminds us of shekinah glory that one could experience only by being in the most holy place in the temple. Being so close to the ark that the actual wings of the cherubim would cast a shadow over you would require some major life adjustments! This reminds us that God is holy and must be approached with a humble and contrite attitude. But also this picture of the “shadow of your wings” reminds us of how a baby bird seeks shelter, security and comfort under the wings of its mother. We’re encouraged to crawl into the Father’s open arms. As you lay down to sleep, remember that your Heavenly Father desires you to snuggle up close. Surrender your sleep into His arms.

Surrendered Sleep

Here's an article that reviews three of the attitudes discussed in our work.  It's part of a guest blog on Thinking Out Loud with Paul Wilkinson.  Thanks to Paul and blessings to you.

http://paulwilkinson.wordpress.com/2012/08/30/having-trouble-sleeping/

Howdy
Susie Larson and the Faith Radio Network will be reairing an interview we did a couple of months ago in the Minneapolis area.
Check it out:

http://www.faithradionet.com/2012/surrendered-sleep/

Insomnia: The Miracle of the Mundane

   If you really study the miracles recorded in the Gospels you will quickly realize that Jesus did not use a protocol or formula. Sometimes He spoke and at His word someone was healed.  Other times he touched people to cure their disease.  On one occasion He used saliva and mixed it with dirt to cover a blind man’s eyes.  Believers sometimes have trouble believing that something is from God unless it involves the supernatural and the extraordinary.   But God can be in it—even through a natural means.  When it comes to sleep and rest, God can also use the natural and mundane—especially when it is internalized by faith.

 

   This graph which breaks down the causes of insomnia suggests that almost one-third of cases of insomnia are caused by poor behavioral habits.  Medicine calls this poor sleep hygiene.  In other words almost thirty percent of cases of insomnia can be relieved by healthy bedtime habits.    Perhaps there is a simple habit that God can enable you to change that can help you sleep better.  Here are some helpful sleep hygiene tips that may help you rest better. 

      

    

    1.      Establish a consistent bedtime rhythm—boring is good. 

    2.      Exercise daily—but not before bedtime.  Most studies show that people (especially women) who exercise in the early afternoon have better rest.

    3.      Avoid drinking a lot of fluids before bedtime (to prevent frequent trips to the bathroom). 

    4.      Do not eat right before bedtime—better to rest on an empty stomach. 

    5.      Never use your bed for anything other than sleep or sex with your spouse.   In other words, don’t do anything that would help your mind associate activity with bedtime (ie surfing the web, texting, paying bills).

    6. Avoid lights when you sleep--this stimulates your brain to wake up.

Here’s another little tidbit that may help you wake up more refreshed in the morning.  We cycle through different stages of sleep through the night that last about ninety minutes each.  If you awake during the deeper stages (REM) you can wake up tired.  If you wake to an alarm you want to time your wake up when you are cycling into the lighter stages of sleep.  Check out this clock to help you determine exactly when to go to bed:  http://sleepyti.me/wake/