Promise for Today: Sweet Sleep, Rest

March 3, 2011

“It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don’t you know he enjoys giving rest to those he loves?” Psalm 127:2 MSG

It’s not just moms who struggle with 60 + hour weekloads. Writers, ministry leaders, business professionals, retail workers, yes, even some seniors juggle packed schedules. Most of us have been there at one time or another. “Hurry up!” flies out of our mouths more times than we care to admit.

Technical advances intended to decrease our work load and increase our efficiency only offer more gadgets to consume our time and energy. All our efforts to slow down seem hopeless at times.

How do you ease the pattern of too much pursuing and too much doing? How do you remedy the pattern of too little resting and too little nesting? Even at night our sleep-deprived bodies may fight the tendency to “work,”  as we count undone tasks rather than sheep.

But God offers another way. God invites us to wrestle less and trust Him more. He, who designed time, gives us all the same number of hours. And He does promise sweet sleep and rest to those He loves who will receive it. When you go to bed tonight, try nestling in His love. Leave your work outside your room, and close the door.

Ah, worry-free sleep. Sweet dreams!

What about you? Are you wrestling or nestling? Share your comments below.

TEN WAYS TO REFILL THE EMPTY NEST

July 13, 2010

Wikipedia describes the empty nest syndrome as “a general feeling of loneliness that parents or guardians may feel when one or more of their children leave home; it is more common in women.” Just as a bird prepares a nest out of bits of twigs, grass, and other sturdy ingredients to serve as a home and refuge for its babies, so we moms have built a nest through the years for ourselves and our families. When that nest begins to empty, how do we fill the vacuum? Read more

A Mother’s Creed: Ten Affirmations for Raising Children

May 4, 2010

• I will worry less about my children and trust God more.

• I will commit them into the Lord’s care.

• I will love my children unconditionally, and let them know I do.

• I will believe in them constantly, and encourage them often.

• I will nurture my children in the truth of God’s Word.

• I will pray for them daily.

• I will teach them responsibility for their own actions.

• I will try to be an example of godliness and beauty, but I will be unafraid to let them see my faults.

• I will give them generous doses of laughter, interspersed with fun.

• I will release them when they are grown, but they will always be my own. – RBJ     

Only with God’s help can we do that!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways aknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV      

What “affirmations” would you add?  

(As Mother’s Day approaches, this is the second in a series of shorter blogs celebrating and encouraging women, moms, and grandmoms–and children, of course!)