Sweet Dreams
This beautiful headboard and frame is currently for sale at Evilena’s Red Dresser. Isn’t it lovely?
What if I told you that this is a magical headboard guaranteed to give you the BEST night’s sleep EVER?
What if Evilena’s offered you the promise of no tossing and turning, no nightmares, no hot flashes, no potty breaks, and only comfy, cozy, restful, restorative sleep for a minimum of 8 hours if you invest in this Kincaid King’s Road Collection King Size headboard & frame?
Would you believe us?
Hopefully not!!! (Although we CAN reassure that we are forthright and honest with customers and clients...no infomercial vibes at Evilena's!) :-)
Of course, this is a gorgeous bed…but there is no headboard, nor mattress, pillow, or bed frame that can guarantee a perfect night’s sleep!
Do you ever have trouble falling asleep? Do you sometimes wake up in the middle of the night and find it difficult to go back to sleep?
Do you find yourself feeling droopy in the afternoon, or feeling exhausted after only being up for an hour or two?
There seems to be a trend of “tiredness” in our culture in recent days. We often hear friends mentioning that they are tired, or they wake up tired, or they sleep but do not feel rested.
First and foremost, it would be a good idea to check with your physician and have a complete physical exam & consult if you are experiencing insomnia and/or physical exhaustion. There could be many physical reasons why you feel tired. We won’t attempt to diagnose or offer advice on the physical aspects of tiredness. That is your doctor’s job. We will stick to consigning clothes and furniture, and offering inspirational words of encouragement. :-)
Perhaps, it is your mind and your soul that is in need of rest. In the technology-driven world in which we live, we are constantly bombarded with information that must be mentally and emotionally processed. Our phones and electronic devices are wonderful tools to keep us connected to everyone and everything…but that connection also demands that our brain and heart engage constantly with the information put in front of us. Much of what demands our attention is good, but some of it is not good. Sometimes information dangled in front of us does not align with our beliefs or values - and we are called upon to subconsciously defend or refute what is propagated. Other times, we are called upon to take action, to reply, to respond, to change course mid-stream, or to reschedule and readjust. This can be mentally exhausting!
What some call progressive, others call decline. What some promote as values, others perceive as oppression. So many varied views and opinions, and we are continually exposed to choices - to agree, to disagree, to attempt to stay neutral, to engage with respect, and to stand on our convictions and beliefs. Our hearts are challenged on a daily, yes, even hourly basis, to decide, accept, reject, and manage a myriad of responses to the information that is incessantly hurled at us.
Did reading that paragraph above just add to your exhaustion? The paragraph is just a brief 30 second string of words - just a drop in the bucket of information that is poured into our brain on a daily basis.
When evening settles over your home, do you find yourself continuing to lug around that now overflowing bucket of info, opinions, decisions, arguments, drama, obligations, duties, beliefs, and a never ending list of woulda/coulda/shoulda’s?
It would be so convenient if we had a little switch on the nightstand beside our bed that would quiet the clamour in our heart and head, wouldn’t it?
Sometimes we just need to be reminded to “Be still and know that I am God.” {Psalm 46:10}
There is so much truth packed into that one little scripture. It’s one thing to be still. We can do that (bodily) when we must. In an MRI…”don’t move, lie perfectly still, this portion of the test will last for 11 minutes”...and we lie quietly while the machine tap, tap, taps away. We can sit quietly in church, in a classroom, or in those moments that call for us to sit still. We can sit in traffic when we have to, or wait patiently in line at the DMV.
But what about our mind? Does your mind struggle to sit still? Do your thoughts continue to bounce around the room even after your body has climbled into bed and your head is on the pillow? Why does it seem like our brain never gets the memo to “Be Still…”?
The second part of that verse can really help to settle down our mind - but it takes some “practice” and some time to develop the good habit of “knowing” that God is who He says He is.
As you begin to know Him better, your mind will grasp His truth, and that kind of truth is the kind that leads to mental and emotional peace and stability. It’s the kind of truth that encourages you to be still, to be settled, to rest in the fact that God is in control, so you don’t have to be.
God is faithful, and He will take care of you. He has never forgotten to hang the moon out at night, and He has never slept through His alarm and shown up late for a sunrise. He has never gotten distracted or walked away from pushing and pulling the ocean’s tide to and from the shore. He has never gotten stuck in traffic and not made it home in time to feed the sparrows. God is not like us, yet He understands everything about us. He is not a created being - He created everything. EVERYTHING. He created you, and He knows exactly what you need for each and every day. Nothing takes Him by surprise. His timing is always perfect, and He always works for our good and for His glory…and He knows you…personally. You may or may not feel that you know Him well, but He knows you. He knows where you are, He knows your struggles and your victories, He knows your hurts and your concerns, and He already knows what you need. He knows us better than anyone else, and He even knows us better than we know ourselves. So, talk to Him! Lay your phone aside, and communicate with God in prayer. You do not need fancy words or a long string of thee’s and thou’s to talk to God. He invites you to talk to Him just as you would talk to a friend. When you can’t even find the words to verbally tell Him what you’d like to say, He understands the unspoken words of our heart. That’s the kind of amazing Friend that He is!
Often, all of the things that keep us up at night could be quieted just by talking them over with God. He is the most adept listener! He is trustworthy - he will never blab your conversations to others, and He will never tell you, “Oh, stop it, that’s not true.” Psalm 147:5 tells us that His understanding is infinite! You can tell Him how you are REALLY feeling about things - and He will not be disappointed in you. He may lovingly remind you of a scripture that will encourage you to grab on to His truth, instead of your own perceived reality, but He will never shut His ears or not welcome the sound of your voice. He will never walk away from you, or slam the door and drive away. He is always open to the sound of our voice calling out to Him, or whispering to Him in the dark hours of the night. He truly loves you and cares about you. He cares about every little thing that is on your mind, and He also cares about the massive, weighty concerns that loom over you as you try to sleep. He already knows the outcome of these situations, and His wisdom can guide you through these circumstances better than any amount of worrying! Worry never changes the outcome of any situation. Prayer can change the outcome…good communication can change the outcome…hard work and forgiveness and mercy and patience can change the outcome…but worry? Nope. Worrying won’t help at all.
When the clock strikes bedtime tonight, perhaps you can take a few moments to quiet and “still” your mind with God’s words from scripture. As you spend time with Him each night, you will get to know Him better, and you will find comfort in talking to Him in prayer. It may not be “instant”...it takes time to build a new habit, but ending each day talking to God may help to quiet the noise and the clutter that clangs around in our head when we lay upon our pillow. Let God settle a holy hush over you each night, so that your body AND your mind can rest and be refreshed and restored, and ready to face the next day…lighter and less bogged down with the cares of this conflicted world in which we live.
Each and every day comes with its own unique set of choices and challenges. No one is immune from problems and conflict. But you do not need to navigate through these days alone. A relationship with God, through Christ, is the key to successfully maneuvering through life. God deems success simply as being faithful to the purpose for which you were created. Stay calmly committed to that purpose, to His purpose for YOU…and partner with Him to complete that purpose each day. When you lay your head on your pillow at night, you can rest peacefully knowing that you walked with God through the day, that He orchestrated your path, and that you lived according to His will. This, my friend, is success. There is such peace in knowing that God is with you, and that He has a personal plan for you for each day. You do not have to “figure it out” on your own. No matter what “hot potato” is tossed into your lap, God allowed it to happen, and He generously offers to give you grace and wisdom to know how to handle what needs to be handled. Sleep well, knowing that God will help you, lead and guide you, and equip you with just enough of His strength for each day. His mercies are new every morning, and they will carry you through each day. Spend time with Him each night, rehash your day with Him, learn what He is teaching you, seek wisdom, ask for forgiveness when needed, accept His unconditional love, and rest in His abundant grace.
