Rest

I have a lot of stuff on my mind today. I'm sure that many of you do too!

I'm thinking about work and all that I need to do. I'm thinking about church yesterday. I'm thinking about vacation and all that has to be finished so that we can leave. I'm thinking about my poor kiddos that I left at home, not feeling very good. I'm also thinking about sleep.

Sleep is a very normal pattern of thought for a mother of three young kids. I covet sleep, I must confess to you. Just this week, I have started bribing our oldest to not wake me up in the night. We call them "silly wake ups" because sometimes she just wants to know if we are there.

This weekend, I was talking with my neighbor and friend who is a new mom. Her daughter is just 3 months old. She was asking me if I thought that her baby slept too much. I remember being a new mom and worrying about the same thing. I told her what my pediatrician told me.

Babies grow and learn more in their first 12 months of life than at any other time. It is hard work! As they sleep, cells repair themselves and multiply. Synapses in the brain form more permanent connections. In short, the only way that babies can achieve all that they need to is by sleeping. In fact, by sleeping a whole lot!

It seems possible to me that there is a connection to the spiritual realm. In order to grow into all that we are intended to, there must be times of rest. Yes, we must feed our souls with prayer and scripture. But without rest, those "cells" won't be able to multiply and take root in our hearts.

I think it important to say here that I don't just mean sleeping. I mean resting in the Lord. Meditating, being in solitude with Him. It is there, as we just listen and wait, that our souls create permanent connection.

What do you think?