Mar
11
2013
Sweet Sleep
Posted in Daily Living, Poetry 2 Comments
There is a chair that calls to me.
From behind me with a tap.
A cozy, comfy, “get lost in” chair,
Where I often take a nap.
Who doesn’t like a respite,
From all the worldly cares?
A place to put your feet up,
A place that’s always there.
It wouldn’t be a long nap.
Just a time to close your eyes.
A time to shut the noise down,
Tell you cares good bye.
To curl under a blanket,
With a good book in your hand.
Knowing soon with eyes cast down,
You’ll enter dreaming lands.
Best are Sunday afternoons.
Those quiet, restful times.
The necessary Sabbath rest,
Where you can calm your mind.
Time to slow our steady pace.
Time to sit a while.
Where we will hear inside our heart,
Come rest now, little child.
There’s nothing wrong with napping,
Once in a while, you see.
Rejuvenating heart and soul.
So you can best serve Me.
He grants sleep to those He loves.
We’re always in His care.
Even curled up in a blanket,
Our Lord is always there.
_______________________________________________________________________
There is a wonderful children’s book I received as a gift when I was a young girl.
I read it to all of my five children as well.
The title of the book is The Man Who Had No Dream by Kjell Ringi and Adelaide Holl.
I appreciated the story more as I got older.
Mr. Oliver was a very wealthy man.
He sat in his home every day, looking out his window, watching the people work.
The people went to and fro every day, busy with many things.
All Mr. Oliver could do was watch them, since he had other people do everything for him.
At night, the town slept…the town dreamed.
Mr. Oliver could not sleep.
Mr. Oliver could not dream.
Nothing helped him close his eyes.
Even sleeping in all of his magnificent beds could not help him find rest.
At night, he couldn’t be at his window…there was nothing to watch.
At night, he couldn’t do anything…everything was done for him.
Sleep never came.
Dreams never came.
One night, Mr. Oliver heard a noise outside his window.
A little injured bird had fluttered and fallen there on his windowsill.
Mr. Oliver lifted the bird very carefully, put it on a silk cushion, fed it milk from a silver spoon, and bandaged its hurt wing.
For the first time in his life, Mr. Oliver worked.
He worked so hard, taking care of the little bird, he began to get sleepy.
Soon, he fell asleep with the little bird in his arms.
When Mr. Oliver fell asleep…he began to dream.
He dreamed of a place in his city just for birds.
A beautiful park with flowers and trees with lots of birds nesting there.
Mr. Oliver began to work…clearing, raking, planting, watering.
Mr. Oliver built a beautiful park where people could come and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors…and watch all of the birds.
Building and maintaining the beautiful park was hard work.
Mr. Oliver went to bed each night tired and ready for sleep.
Mr. Oliver slept.
Mr. Oliver dreamed.
Make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interest of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 2:2-5)
The surest way to get out of the doldrums is to help someone else.
Self focus points out every ache, every pain, every problem, every annoyance.
Self focus is unproductive.
Self focus is not Kingdom focus.
Kingdom focus goes outward: Jesus first…Others second…Yourself last.
JOY!
The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep. (Ecclesiastes 5:12)
Often, we are like Mr. Oliver.
We live life on the sidelines…watching, critiquing, judging.
There is no rest in that…only turmoil and discontent.
We are to be like Jesus, our Servant Lord.
Jesus, who always put the needs of others first.
One day Jesus said to His disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, He fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went to Him and woke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. “Where is your faith?” He asked His disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this?” He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him.
(Luke 8:22-25)
Sleep comes when we trust God.
Jesus trusted God, His Father fully…completely.
Jesus had nothing to fear.
He fell asleep in the boat, even as the demonic storm raged around Him.
It is the same for us.
Trust and obey…and faithfully do the work God would have us do for His Kingdom.
Our sleep will be sweet.
God, who never slumbers or sleeps, is watching over us.
I LOVE THIS mom! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Claire.
The sweet memory of cuddling up and reading that book together!
I love you.
MOM