Insomnia Continued

A number of my friends have trouble with insomnia so here is more information about the importance of sleep and ways to overcome insomnia. A good night’s sleep refreshes us and helps us meet the day with energy and alertness. Lack of sleep over time can have a serious affect on our physical and mental health. Dr. William Dement, head of the Stanford University Sleep Research Center says that sleep is as important as exercise and diet in preventing major health problems such has heart attacks and stroke.

A healthy person needs seven to eight hours of sleep a night. Many people in today’s fast paced world sacrifice sleep not realizing this can impact their health. Loss of sleep or “sleep debt” is a factor in a third of all accidents. It affects productivity on the job, our frustration levels, and lowers our immune system. There are significant sleep disorders such as sleep apnea that interrupt sleep. Anyone with extreme fatigue or chronic insomnia should see their doctor to rule out physical causes.
To overcome insomnia do the following.

1. Go to bed at the same time every evening. Spend the last hour before bedtime relaxing. If you watch TV, watch calming or funny programs rather than exciting or scary ones.

2. Gradually eliminate caffeine from your diet. Do it gradually or you may get a headache from withdrawing too fast.

3. Cut out alcoholic beverages after 6 or 7 p.m. Alcohol initially relaxes a person but one or two hours later it acts as a stimulant.

4. Exercise during the day so your body is tired. A 20 minute walk will do wonders.

5. A glass of milk or a calcium pill at bed time will relax you.

6. Don't go to bed angry. Talk out the problem if you can. If not, write about your anger and let go of it.

7. If you're keyed up about tomorrow's activities talk or write about it before you go to bed.

8. Anger, hurt or sadness accumulated through the day often wake us at night. Use awake times to express your feelings in tears, in prayer or in journaling.

9. Change the way you think about awake times. Think of insomnia as an opportunity! Learn to enjoy the silence and quiet in the middle of the night. This can be a peaceful time to meditate and to commune with God.

10. Give yourself permission to sleep late. Sleeping late does not mean you’re lazy. You may have trained yourself to ignore your sleep debt.
To learn more about handling insomnia read The Promise of Sleep by William Dement, MD and Insomnia: God’s Night School by Connie Soth.
“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1
Blessings, Dottie

Insomnia

Insomnia affects most of us at some time or other in life. When it is chronic, our anxiety about getting to sleep may be keeping us from it. Once a worry cycle begins it can cause the very behavior we are trying to avoid. When we worry about getting to sleep our negative thinking contributes to keeping us awake. Keep your thoughts positive even when unable to sleep.

One way to do that is to change the way you think about sleep and rest. Researchers tell us that rest, lying relaxed in bed, does as much good for us as sleep. Losing a few hours of sleep is not life threatening. Even those who participate in sleep deprivation experiments are back to normal after one night’s sleep.

Think of insomnia as an opportunity! Learn to enjoy the silence and quiet available in the middle of the night. Make this a peaceful, time to be with yourself and to commune with God. Get out of bed and find a comfortable spot away from other family members. Use this time to meditate, think or pray about whatever comes to mind. Allow feelings to emerge about your life and about events of the previous day. Accept your feelings and thoughts and learn from them. We are usually restless for reasons. Begin noticing minor irritations each day. Talk about them to someone or write about them in a journal.

Examine your life thoroughly. What losses do you need to grieve about? Who has hurt you? Who do you need to forgive? In what ways are you unhappy with your self or with your life? We often compromise our ideals without realizing how troubling this is to us inside. We settle for less than we want in life out of fear of taking risks or because we don’t want to do what we know is right. All of these issues can stir inside us when we relax our day time defenses to go to sleep.

To learn more about approaching wakefulness as a time to enjoy and as an opportunity to grow read Insomnia: Insomnia: God's Night School by Connie Soth.

“Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

Blessings, Dottie

Operation World

Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation is a book that can change the world. It’s an amazing book. Imagine what a difference it would make if all Christians prayed specifically for missionaries around the world and for the needs in each country. This is a daunting task but it is made easier by this marvelous book. Operation World lists every country in the world, giving information on Geography, Peoples, Economy, Politics, and Religion for each country. It also lists Answers to Prayer and Challenges for Prayer. Maps and charts are also given. The book is packed with information.


Operation World is designed to be used as a prayer guide with a date listed at the bottom of each page so you can work your way through it in a year. Christians around the world can and will be informed, guided and inspired by this book. When we hear about a country in the news or when there is conflict in a region Operation World is a quick resource to learning about the country, understanding the issues and knowing how to pray. My church is using Operation World in weekly prayer meetings, focusing on one country each week. It can also be used by families during family meetings or prayer times, to teach children about our vast world and to educate them about world geography, the diversity of peoples and the vast need to spread the Gospel. Parents who are home schooling will also find this to be a valuable resource.

The Completely Revised -7th edition of Operation World was published in 2010 by Jason Mandryk so the information is as up to date as it possibly could be. Reading and studying Operation World is a great way to increase our knowledge of other countries and cultures and great way give us a heart for missions and to focus our prayers. And it is guaranteed to lessen our provincialism.

“Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere.” Mark 16:15 NLT

Blessings, Dottie

Seeker of Hearts

Seeker of Hearts by Steven P. Smith is a recounting of the life of Jesus in a modern day setting. And I do mean modern day. Think Jesus and the disciples wearing blue jeans, driving vans and using cell phones. The setting is an America-like land, currently occupied by foreign troops. Much of the dialog is straight from the NIV Bible following the gospel accounts accurately. This gives Christians a fresh way of thinking about Jesus and his mission.

Seeker of Hearts is written in every day language and the scenes flow smoothly from one location or view point to another. Smith very adeptly describes, for example, the healing of the man born blind and the hullabaloo following it. He is inventive in scenes such as the raising of Lazarus from the dead - in a modern cemetery. Smith fills in behind the scenes stories we’ve always wondered about, including dialog between Caiaphas, the chairman of City Council, and Judd (Judas).

The events from the Last Supper on are riveting. I couldn’t put Seeker of Hearts down. It reminded me of Riven by Jerry Jenkins! I won’t tell more or I’ll spoil all the surprises. This is a must read for Christians who want to gain fresh insights into the life of Christ. The book can be read aloud to children, with discussion to help them see Jesus as a real person and as God in the flesh. Teen-agers also will find this book inspiring, even life-changing.

“I am the way, the truth and the life.” John 14:6

Blessings, Dottie

Investing Time

Here are more thoughts about time. There are three ways to spend the present. We can waste it, spend it or invest it. Time wasters include worry, fear, sleeping more than needed and busyness, accomplishing little. We also waste time on petty anger, procrastination, indecision, complaints and pity. These confuse us and keep us from accomplishing our dreams. They also separate us from God.

Spending time might be described as merely existing. Our life has no purpose or direction. We simply do what has to be done, no more. We sleep, work, eat and little more. Our life is dull and routine.

We invest our time when we know our life has purpose and meaning beyond our own self-interest. We invest our time when we do some thing that touches the lives of those around us, when we offer a smile, a helping hand, or a kind word. We invest our time when we help a worthy cause.

We waste some time. We spend some time aimlessly. We’re human. When we focus on God and have purpose we minimize time wasters and we live with zest. We do what has to be done with speed and joy in order to have time to invest in our purpose.

To make changes this year lean on God and live in the present. Make conscious choices about your priorities in life and take small steps each day to pursue your dreams. Someone has said “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift - that’s why it’s called the present.” Enjoy the gifts of God given each day to us.

“In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines is steps.” Proverbs 16:9

Blessings, Dottie

Using Time

Many of us struggle with how we use time, often wishing for more time, often pressured by time. Human beings are different from any other creature on this earth. We are aware of time. We are also blessed with both memory and imagination. We can remember the past and we can imagine our future. These enable us to live thoughtful and creative lives.

However, our memory and our imagination also create problems for us. Often our minds are influenced by painful memories and by negative, imaginative thoughts of the future. Our memory reminds us of past fears, worries, guilts, hurts and discouragement. It may say, for example, “Remember how foolish you felt when you tried something new in second grade and the class laughed at you.” And so we back away from change because of memories. We decide not to try something new.

Memories, conscious and unconscious, cause us to be fearful of the future. Many of our fears, worries, and jealousies, are created by our negative imaginations. We picture the worst happening? We say to ourselves, what if ____ happened? And then we start to worry about “it” happening. Someone has said that worry about the future is interest paid on a debt that may never come due. Worry changes nothing and keeps us from growing and trying new things.

How do we not worry in our complex world? We can use our minds, our memories and our imaginations to remind us that God is in charge and that his purposes are good. We can then make conscious choices about how we use the time we have (the present). Only mankind is capable of this. We can remember the past but we don’t have to be bound by the past. With God’s help we can use our wills, to set priorities and to move toward them. This way we use our time wisely.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6


Blessings, Dottie

Thoughts on Time

At the beginning of a new year we think back over the previous year and remember both high and low points. For many people the past year was difficult with job losses, illness or even the loss of loved ones. Even in a good year many take stock of what was accomplished in the prior year. Did we use our time wisely? Did we grow and learn? Did we spend our time in ways that pleased us and pleased God? We also look ahead and plan and wonder what lies ahead.

I spent some time thinking about both of these – the past and the future. I thought of many marvelous times with family, friends and church in 2010. I also thought of family members and friends with health problems, or who lost loved ones. And I thought of the friends whose funerals we attended in 2010, including a cousin the last week of the year. We really don’t know what lies ahead – not even one day ahead. But God does. He’s in charge and he is good.

I talked with him about all this. It was early in the morning; the sun was shining on the brilliant white snow. I was dazzled by the beauty of the world and by God’s beauty. I sat in my comfy recliner, a glass of water nearly finished, on a tray beside me. My lamp was shining directly on the water. God surprised and awed me, as I glanced at my simple glass of water appearing clear, silvery and beautiful – like crystal. I felt God’s presence in this moment and realized he is good, pure, beautiful and true. And life is beautiful even when the glass is nearly empty; even as the years slip by. Life with God is full even when the glass of your life seems nearly empty.

“I trust in you, O Lord, I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hands.” Psalm 31:14-15

Blessings, Dottie