Sleep In Saturday

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

For years, my heartfelt wish was for a sleep-in Saturday. But with my husband and I on different schedules and raising four children–it just wasn’t in the cards. I slept well if sometimes getting by on about four hours, due to my call schedule. When on call in house, I was able to rise quickly and after the surgery, grab another hour sometimes before the shift was over. Those were the days when I took 24 hour in house call.

I rarely had a night when I lay awake with fears and worries whirling through my mind, mainly because I did end my night with a prayer of thankfulness and I was VERY TIRED. The strange thing now is that, after twelve years of being retired except for volunteer work, I still wake up most days at 5:30 a.m. Occasionally I do sleep in till maybe 7:00 if I have been up later than my usual 11:00 p.m. Oh, how life moves along!

During the events of the last year, I have had trouble falling asleep at times. When that happens, I feel angry and anxious. It has given me much more compassion for those who have insomnia. It is terrible to be so tired and lying awake. I have added “people with sleep issues” to my prayers! I find passages of scripture like the one above help me, as does getting up and reading something not controversial or upsetting for an hour or so.

If someone reading this is having trouble with getting a good night’s sleep, there are good articles about it on the health sites. Not exercising in the last couple hours before bed, not eating late in the evening, or drinking alcohol later in evening have all been written about as helpful for good sleep. Otherwise, warm baths, soothing music or white noise are all possible aids to sleep. But I’m getting far from my original purpose.

I used to dream of a Saturday
When I could lie in bed,
Stretch and yawn, go back to sleep,
Not drive a child somewhere instead.
Those days are gone and kids are grown, 
I'm in the so-called Golden Years.
But lately the pandemic, an election and lies,
Have filled my head and heart with fears.

I go to bed and name the problem,
Then say to God, "It's yours."
I don't understand and never will,
But heavenly plans can open closed doors. 
C.Cousins

This was a couple days ago, when I couldn't see beyond the immediate terrain. The mountains were obscured until the fog lifted--and so it is with life.