Sleeplessness

Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses;  in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;
II Corinthians 6:4-7

Exhaustion is a part of parenting.  In those first days, when newborns need to eat every few hours, around the clock.   Later when fevers boil all the night through or when a nightmares or thunderstorm break into a peaceful slumber.  Science tells us the tired people do not perform well mentally or physically.  Experience tell us that tired people are grouchy, irritable, and quick tempered. Not great qualities for a parent.

Nobody is perfect, but we do want to be commendable to our children even as Paul is commendable to the Corinthians.  It is our job, our duty, as parents to train up our children.  As Proverbs 22:6 says " Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it."  And Ephesians 6:4 says "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." 

It was the word "sleeplessness" that caught my eye in this passage (I was actually studying a verse on the opposite page in my Bible). In all honesty, I have not been sleeping well for a few weeks.  Little Dude's sleep schedule is off and we are having a hard time re-establishing it.  If he does not sleep, I do not sleep.  I grumbled, complained and griped at my daughter because I was tired, but when I read these verses I was humbled.  If Paul could endure not only sleepless nights, but also beatings, hunger, riots, imprisionments for the Lord's calling, then I had a responsibility to try to be a commendable witness in my calling as mother to my children.  It is only by the Grace of God that I will succeed.

Whatever

 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Philippians 4:8

Have you ever had one of those days?  You know, the kind where you wake up late, to the baby who wet through the diaper is screaming his head off.Burning the bacon at breakfast, breaking your favorite glass getting cut off in traffic, and it just goes downhill from there. What is on your mind, on those days?  What is your mind today? 

What we think about sits in the center of our attitude.  Our attitude is what sets the tone for the day.  It fuels our words and sparks our actions.  So…what should we think about?

Whatever:  any amount, to any extent, all encompassing.  Those things, all those things, all parts of all those things that are

• true
• honorable
• right
• pure
• lovely
• of good repute or admirable
• excellent
• worthy of praise.   

But not just thinking, dwelling.  Other versions say think or meditate, but dwell gives the picture of setting up camp, pitching a tent, or building a house.  Dwelling is a permanent state of being.  This isn’t something that we just do first thing in the morning or the last thing at night; this is something that we should always be doing.  

Pray that in this week that God will help you call to mind and dwell on those true, lovely, honorable, right, pure, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy things.  See if it doesn’t make a difference in your attitude, words and actions.