3-14-21 Sleep When You’re Dead

Quote: “No, we don’t need more sleep.  It’s our souls that are tired, not our bodies.  We need nature.  We need magic.  We need adventure.  We need freedom.  We need truth.  We need stillness.  We don’t need more sleep, we need to wake up and live.”  – Brooke Hampton

I. Love. Sleep.

I can take naps at the drop of a hat.  I can take a 20 minute nap and then take on the world!  My husband? Not so much.  He is a grumpy napper.  And speaking of my dear husband, what that poor man has to put up with in the morning is beyond love and way more than he signed up for when he said “I do”.  When I go to sleep, I pass out within minutes and sleep hard.  It’s like the energizer bunny all day and then bam – I’m done.  And then when that alarm goes off in the morning, he has described me to others as scary, mean, Medusa (apparently the hair is quite scary), and just plain rude.  I am a bear to wake up.  But no fear – once I have that cup of coffee, I’m a new woman!

I am a huge advocate for rest.  As a teacher, I can sense within 5 minutes who did not get enough sleep the night before.  The average adult needs 7-9 hours of sleep each night.  Children and teens need 10-12. Do you know that rest was so important to God that after 6 days of creating the world, he dedicated an entire day to rest?  Rest and sleep and stillness are important.  We lessen our impact on the planet when we don’t get enough of it.  We aren’t good for anyone if we are running on fumes.

Having said that… I agree with this quote wholeheartedly!  Often times, I suspect we are not actually needing sleep.  We use it as an escape to make excuses for what in our heart of hearts we know we should be doing.  We need to write that song, journal that experience, practice that instrument, exercise our body, have that conversation, date our mate, draw that vision, join that group, take that trip, go on that interview, serve that friend, save that money, make that bucket list, forgive that person, or take that risk.  We need to wake up and live!  As the saying goes, you can sleep when you’re dead.

I read a few articles this week that said many in their last moments talk about all the things they wished they would have done.  I want to be able to say I have no regrets.  Don’t you?  I have a bucket list a mile long and I am going to continue to surround myself with people who want to experience life together!  In the second part of John 10:10, Jesus says, “…I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.”  Another version of this verse says, “…that they may have life and have it to the full.”  I imagine him saying this to the crowd with arms wide open, with lots of expression and excitement!  The Christian life is not meant to be boring, just following a set of rules.  It is so much more than that.  If you are searching for how to find that kind of life, just send me a message!

You see, I feel like I’ve found the golden ticket.  Life isn’t about me or my happiness.  It’s about realizing there is way more going on than just being born, getting an education, making friends, finding a soulmate, working, raising children, retiring, and then dying.  It’s about loving and serving others.  It’s about telling the people in your life how the One who loves you most has changed you from the inside out.  If you’re not interested in hearing about that, it’s fine.  That’s your choice.  It’s not my job to sell it.  It’s my job to tell it.

So get some rest, seize the day, and make the choice to really LIVE!