Personal things...family things...things I need to plan and organize (mostly out of my comfort zone). There is one thing in particular that has had a tight grip on me.
Yesterday in church our pastor's message was related to the storms in our lives. The scripture reading the for morning was from Mark 4:35-41. It reads as follows:
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Our pastor spoke of how during the trials of life...the storms...we need to ask Jesus to get in the boat with us. To have faith in Him. To acknowledge Him. To invite Him.
Last night I found myself sleeping on the couch. Not because of a marital spat, or because my husband was snoring or because I couldn't fall asleep. No...it's because we have a nine-month old puppy who sometimes still has accidents. Now keep in mind puppies in our house do not sleep in kennels at night. The sleep with humans in beds. With three dogs in our house that means there's one dog in each bed. One with our son, one with our daughter and one with us. The puppy. Who last night decided to have an accident on my side of the bed. Which meant cleaning the mattress...leaving my side of the bed wet. Yeah...I know...you're thinking kennel...but it just doesn't work that way here.
Anyway...long story short...Scott was able to keep his side of the bed but I took the couch. Taking the couch always makes me secretly happy (almost giddy) because we have the...absolute...most...comfortable...couch...EVER! If I knew what sleeping on a cloud felt like, I would say that's what sleeping on our couch feels like! On the other hand, we also have a really old, uncomfortable and lumpy mattress and I can't tell you the last time I slept well on it or the last time I woke up in the morning not feeling like I had the body of an 80 year old.
So there I was on my comfy cloud couch...snuggled up with my pillows and blankie. Tired. Thinking I'd fall right to sleep.
I don't know about you...but this is the time that thoughts/concerns/event planning/ideas, etc. all decide to come to mind. As soon as my head hits the pillow...BAM...there they are! Even when I'm on my comfy cloud couch.
Praying at night as I'm falling asleep is not uncommon for me...and then sneaks in the nagging thoughts, etc., and soon I've got a mix of those nagging thoughts, prayer, event planning, prayer, concerns, prayer...I think you get the picture. The thoughts keep sabotaging my prayers. So last night I...PRAYED! I talked and talked to Jesus and told Him how grateful I am for Him being in the boat with me. That I should know better by now to doubt storms in life because He always...ALWAYS...calms them...and then shows me something more beautiful than I could have imagined on the other side of the storm clouds. I just kept talking to Him and talking...and talking...and talk...ing...until I found myself wrapped peacefully in His warmth and love and I slept like I haven't slept in a long time. The only time I woke up is when Scott let the puppy down because she prefers to sleep with (on) her "mamma." Once she curled up with me I slept even better. This morning I didn't even wake up before the alarm on my phone went off.
I think there could have literally been a huge thunder and lightening storm last night and I would have slept through it.
Jesus can create such calm in the midst of our stormy hearts...if we remember to ask Him in.
Wishing you a peaceFULLYsimple...and storm-free day!
peace.
jeanine
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