June 28th, 2013
Hey, everyone!
Hope you're having an awesome day! If you are, it's probably because you had an awesome night! Wow! I was getting ready for our "Four Wednesdays" on "How to live in a body…How your body and your soul affect each other" and this last one was on sleep…Man! I learned tons I didn't know!
For example,…
If you didn't get enough sleep last night, it affects you negatively in many ways. If you didn't sleep enough…
…You may be experiencing memories problems.
Quick test! What was the date yesterday? Who was Jimmy Carter's Vice President? Who was the runner-up in the World Series last year? You may need more sleep if you can't remember that stuff! What's the name of Tennessee's football coach? (Wait. That wasn't really fair…It changes so much, it's tough to keep track…)
If you didn't sleep enough last night…
…You have a much higher risk of accidents. Unless you're reading this on your phone while your driving. If you're doing that, not sleeping enough probably isn't your most riskiest behavior! PLEASE STOP READING AND DRIVE! THIS EMAIL ISN'T WORTH RISKING YOUR LIFE!!!
If you didn't sleep enough last night…
You are 17 times more likely to be anxious and fearful…
BOO!
Did that bother you? You may need more sleep!
When we don't sleep enough our mental efficiency is not that awesome. One drowsy dude was complaining to his girl friend that he couldn't find his cell phone anywhere. "Have you looked in the bathroom?"'"Yes." (Some folks talk in there apparently)
"Have you looked under your carseat?"
"Yes."
"Wait. How are you talking to me right now?"
"Oh."
2/3 of our fellow countrymen and countrywomen testify that they don't sleep enough. Everyone has to sleep. Flies do it. Giraffes do it. Elephants sleep standing up but have to lay down to dream…This keeps them from sleep walking. (Sleep-walking elephants would NOT be good!)
Dolphins sleep with half their brain and swim with the other half. Then they switch! Amazing! I knew someone once who talked with only half his brain. I believe the other half was asleep. It was somewhat less than amazing.
Tina said she could tell I was super sleep-deprived in our seminary days. I'd sit down to read the kids a bed-time story and fall asleep right in the middle of the reading it! She said sometimes the story would just take this wacky turn…
" 'I know," said Oliver the Pig. 'Yes, Oliver," said Mother. 'Thank you, Mother," said Oliver. 'You're welcome…well…come here, Olive…say…here…welcome here…hear what…what…wha…www…zzz…zzz…ZZZZZ…ZZZZ"
"HONEYYYYYYY!"
"Wha…!!! Oh. Sorry, kids!"
Scientists say we all need at least 71/2 hours of sleep…and more like 8 or 9!… every night. One doctor says that the percentage of Americans who can live healthy on 5 hours sleep, rounded to the nearest zero, is ZERO!
Not getting enough sleep is an economic problem…Helping folks fall asleep is a $32,000,000,000 industry!
It's a major health problem…One study shows that not sleeping enough causes more risks factors for mortality than high blood pressure or smoking! Yikes!
It's also a spiritual problem, I've found. Today, many feel "guilty" for sleeping as much as they need. Being tired and sleeping little is a point of pride and self-importance. "I'm too important to be out for so long." One person called it, "taking an adversarial stance against our own bodies".
One coffee shop mug read, "Sleep is for the weak."
Actually, sleep is an act of worship!
It's a way to admit and confess, "I am not in control. I will lie down and let my God protect me all through the night! "In peace I will lie down and sleep for You alone, o Lord, keep me safe!" (Psalm 4.8)
Sleep is a way of saying to Him, "Results are not up to me! They are Your responsibility! "The kingdom of God is like a man who sows seed, and whether he's awake or asleep, it grows and he doesn't know how…" (Mark 4)
In the Book of Genesis it says, "It was evening and morning, the first day…evening and morning, the second day…evening and morning, the third…" The day starts at sundown So the first thing you do each day is go to sleep! It's not the last! It's the first! Then you wake up to discover what God has done while you snoozed!
"Sleep forces you to let go. Everything is beyond our control while we sleep. We can't check emails or Facebook. We can't make connections or plans. Sleep is the only human activity that requires our undivided self. You can't do anything while you sleep but sleep.."
So, tonight, just let go! Let God care for you! Let Him work while you rest! Go to Him with your stuff and then go to sleep! For a long time!!
If you don't, you'll be sorry! I've had a few nights where I haven't been able to sleep as much as I should and I feel it…Like this morning, I was trying to start a thing…start…thing…stop…start…sta…thing…think…th…th…zzz…zzz…ZZZZZZ
Huh?!
Sorry!