If You Don’t Use It – You’ll Lose It!

My precious mom said to her doctor “Doc, some mornings I just don’t want to get out of bed!” His reply? “The day you decide to do that, count on being bedridden very soon. In essence, he was saying “If you don’t use it – you’ll lose it!” These days – our minds are on overload, so much so, – the opposite is true: If we overuse it – we’ll lose it!

My sis-in-law was coming over to see me. I gave her the easy directions. “Turn into the community at the gate and just turn right at the first street and it’s the first home on the right.” I watched out for her. She turned right but went to the first house on the left. I overheard her talking to her husband on her cell phone: “I can’t do two things at the same time – drive and follow directions.” I get it. We need to be fine-tuned!.

I’ve been reading up on “powering up” our brains and I've found out some things that can boggle our brains – one of which is all the multi-tasking that we do. While on our phones, we’ll be driving, eating, telling our kids to stop arguing, remembering another item for the grocery list, etc. Bottom line – being focused not only saves our brain’s power (over-using it), but it also saves us from being distracted and having an accident. I read that a recent neuroscience research proved the human brain is unable to consciously pay full attention to two tasks at the same time (thus my sweet sis-in-law's dilemma).. Sure, we can do simple tasks like walking and talking at the same time – maybe even chewing gum along with it, but when it comes to true multi-tasking, our brain shouldn’t do it.
’t do it. Yikes! Think about all that multi-tasking we’re doing while driving – talking on our phones, eating, etc.

Helping us to not overuse our brain is “powering it down” when we get the sleep we need. A sleep-deprived brain works harder, but accomplishes less. It becomes more difficult to concentrate, speak clearly, and make decisions. I’m making sure I get as many zzzz’s as I can to keep my brain powered up!

And, “powering up” our brain is powering up our attitudes that cultivate good habits like, enjoying life, laughing often, developing an optimistic outlook and being sure to free our minds of stress and anxiety. And above all – STOP saying, even in a “just joking” way “I’m losing my mind!” Instead, we should daily “power up” our brains by keeping our minds on God’s Word – even memorizing scriptures that help guarantee sound and healthy minds! Let’s speak these kinds of affirmations from God’s Word:

~ I have the mind of Christ! (1 Corinthians 2:16)
~ My mind is renewed daily! (Romans 12:2)
~ His mind is in me! (Philippians 2:5)
~ My mind is in perfect peace because it stays on God. (Isaiah 26:3)
~ I love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul and MIND. (Matthew 22:37)
~ Daily, I think on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. Philippians 4:8

I’m in for the long haul so rather than my mind being used “mindlessly”, I’m “powering up” to be sure I live up to the best version of me that I can be! How about you?

“I refuse to give in to my fears. For God did not give me a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a SOUND mind!”
2 Timothy 1:7

He Gives His Beloved Sweet Sleep

To avoid the work-week traffic, I left at a decent time last Sunday to drive home from Austin. About two and a half hours of driving later, I started to get quite drowsy. I saw a Rest Area up ahead and thought I’d pull off and shut my eyes for a few minutes. I lowered my seat back, grabbed my favorite pillow that I take with me everywhere, and thought 10-minutes of rest would revive me. I could hardly believe it when I awoke an hour later. I realized I’d be late getting back to Frisco where my family had lunch waiting on me. But, then I praised God because I had been averaging only about 5 hours of sleep at night over the last couple of weeks, and I said, “Thank you, God! You really do give your beloved sweet sleep.”

This photo is one of my all-time favorites and so very dear to my heart. The little guy is my, now 17 year old grandson, Payton Wallace. Our little Payton was beyond tired -- he just couldn't make it through his meal. It was our weekend with Payton and Alexia and that meant action-packed, non-stop fun from morning until night. We made the most of our time with our grandchildren, making lots of memories, and now that my Sweetheart is in heaven, I'm so glad we did. Most of all, they got to know how special and loving their Papa was. He definitely made an impression on their lives -- so much so -- that they still talk about him a lot and recall so many fun times with him.

And, like that precious boy falling asleep after a busy day of fun, so did Nana and Papa when the kids' Mom and Dad came to pick them up. We would drop into our recliners, and, we would fall fast asleep too. Yes, God gives His beloved sweet sleep.... right when we need it most.

Precious Payton didn't have a care in the world so he could just rest in happy freedom. And, through faith and complete trust in our Lord, we, too, can rest in Him in happy freedom from care. Those whom the Lord loves are delivered from the fret of life. Just like my husband and I wanting to give the best things to our grandchildren, God is sure to give the best things to His beloved, and like this photo, we know He gives them sweet sleep -- that is a laying aside of care, a forgetfulness of need, a quiet leaving of matters with God. This kind of sleep is better than riches and honor. Remember how Jesus slept amid the ups and downs of a storm at sea? He knew that He was in his Father's hands, so He could be so quiet in spirit that the billows rocked Him to sleep.

Take it from me. There are often times when I wake in the night and sleep is far from me, but I visualize being in the bow of the ship and think about the sweetness of God's love and I remind myself of His words. "I give my beloved sweet sleep." Yes, I'm His beloved and I also remind myself of Isaiah 26:3 "Him I will keep in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Me." Between that rocking boat, and thinking about my Father, before long I'm back to sound sleep......just like my little grandson......with not a care in the world.

Do You Have "Wide Awake" Parties at Night?

My Mom was a light sleeper. I was a sound sleeper, but over the years, I've found myself waking up more often, and even after only about 6 hours of sleep at night, I'm wide awake. There's plenty of traits my Mom had that I want, but not that one. I was telling my mom-in-law about my sleep patterns and she boasted of falling asleep before her head even hits her pillow, and doesn't wake up until she's had a good 8 or 9 hours of sleep (except for the usual bathroom breaks in the night). With all the other physical issues she's had, I'm so thankful, sleep isn't one of them!

I'll force my eyes shut, try to shut down my mind, say my alphabet acronyms: "A = awesome God, B = beautiful Savior, C = Christ before me, etc., and often, I'll fall back asleep. But what if there's something more to consider? I really do want to follow King David's lead when he said “I lie awake thinking of You, meditating on You through the night. Because You are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of Your wings.” Psalm 63:6-7. King David penned those words in the wilderness, on the run from a vast army led by his own rebellious son. Yikes! If there were ever a moment to be up at night worrying, this would be it.

David did lie awake at night, but not for the reasons we’d expect. Instead of fearing for his life or devising a plan of escape, he couldn’t stop thinking about God.

What if God's plans for us are nighttime meditations, like King David experienced? The Creator of the universe, and the Creator of you and me, just might want our undivided attention, and what better time to have that attention, than when we're not distracted by phone calls and Instagram and Facebook and "to do" lists and emails?

I've made up my mind, if God is wanting one-on-one time with me and the best time is in the middle of the night, then so be it! When I find myself tossing and turning, just maybe God is stirring my nest to teach me something. Instead of counting sheep, and saying alphabet acronyms, the best thing to do is count on God's faithfulness, His power and provision. It's humorous to consider that God is watching me toss and turn, trying so hard to fall asleep, when He has nuggets of wisdom to share with me. Just maybe, instead of forcing myself to sleep, maybe I should plan a "Wide Awake" Party to "party" with my Creator!

I've Got the Eye of the Tiger.....Roaring Like a Lion

Heading to bed with NO fear, NO worry, No doubt -- sweet sleep is on its way -- because.......
"I've got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire
'Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar!
Louder, louder than a lion
'Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar!"