Sleep

There are times in my life when I struggle with sleep. My mind is racing and I have a hard time shutting down for the day, so I sit up and read, listen to music, or watch TV. Eventually sleep will come, but there are times that it takes a while.

Just after Scarlett was born the struggle with sleep was even greater. She was getting up a couple of times at night, and Sierra decided that it was fun to wake up before 6:00 am - so exhaustion set in early on those days.

But lately, the girls have done very well at getting their rest. Scarlett is only up once a night, normally around 5 (after going to be around 9:00) and Sierra sleeps until after 7:00.

And that has opened the door for me to get more rest as well. It is amazing how much better life is when you have a full night of sleep behind you.

We all need rest in our lives, and God knows this. That is why God created the Sabbath - a time for us to rest from the daily grind, spend time with him, and recharge for the week ahead. The Sabbath is essential for all of us, because we need to refuel before we do the work that God has set before us.

I once heard the church described as a Filling Station. We come in (our Sabbath time) to get fueled up in worship and then leave to do the work we are called to do in the world. I think this is a great analogy because God is at work in the world, and we need to be fueled up to do that work. And with all the busy-ness that December brings with it, we need the time of rest, that time of refueling, more than ever.

So may you be blessed with the joy of rest in your life, and may you be refueled to celebrate all that God has given to you.