I made a major blunder Sunday night. I know, I know that is hard to believe…but it is true.
I STAYED UP TOO LATE!
How’s that for a major mishap? Sorry can’t give you the “dish” here on everything about me. 🙂
After preaching and going out for lunch, I decided to go for a ride. It was about 88 degrees, humid, with an 8 mph wind. After doing some work at the office I went for a ride and then came back to do some more prep work for the week. When I went home, I took a shower (yeah I needed one), then vegged. I was reading a Randy Singer book (*)and finished it. Then the Tour de France came on and even though I knew who won…I watched the highlights anyway. WRONG MOVE!! I get up at 4:00 so staying up until 11 is not a good thing. It proved to be a challenge…not getting up…but staying up awake.
I literally felt like I sleep-walked through some of my morning. I know my morning study was an effort in staying alert awake. A time or two I caught myself staring at my eyelids from underneath. I hate when that happens! I could try to pass it off as being deep in study, but that would not be the truth. Fortunately, no one else is here that early so my secret is safe! Unless, of course, someone from the church decides to read and comment. Then I’m toast.
Okay…all joking aside, I really do dislike it when I am so tired. I feel like part of me is alien and the other part is just existing. Sort of like waiting for my spirit to catch up with my body. There are times when I am “asleep at the wheel” and the passion and fire is hard to find. I know people who have no fire at all. It is like they are sleep-walking through life. This is especially tragic when the topic is those who follow Jesus. He said He came to give life and to give it abundantly, but there are far too many who are missing out. But taking a look at many of His followers, it would be hard to convince “outsiders” (**) there is a God who sets us free. We are either no different from our cohorts in lifestyle, or our difference is so magnified as to be sickening. It is time to wake up!
As per the last post, here is a song that says it well.
Are you alive? Are you awake? Do you feel like you are sleep-walking?
(*) If you like courtroom dramas (that don’t preach), check out Randy Singer. Start with this one. You will be hooked!!
(**) By outsiders I mean those who don’t follow Jesus.
I don’t think that I am sleepwalking. More like treading water or struggling to get through or get by. Most days it doesn’t feel like I did any more than mark time. I did manage to have coffee with a friend on Thursday and that is rare for me. It is frustrating that something so small for most folks is such a big deal for me. Small steps still make progress, not so much on the day-to-day, but in the year-to-year.
Many are treading water along with you Daniel. Some days I feel that is all I am doing. keep fighting.
Too often, Bill, but I’m working on it. I don’t think I have time to sleep walk.
You are living life Larry. You are awake.
True that, Bill. I think like you staying up too late, when we fail to get away from His word and/or Godly disciplines, we can tend to “sleep-walk” through our faith and not allow him to recharge and awaken us. Good thoughts.
Thanks Stephen. Often the result of my late nights is a failure to do just what you are talking about.
I stayed up too late Friday night which led to a really bad weekend pattern. I’m still dealing with it this morning. I also hate all the things it affects. Glad to know I’m not the only one it happens to.
Yeah, that is the bad part Phil. Seems like one bad night leads to others.
I hate feeling like a zombie too. Yet, my tendencies is to stay up, problem is I get up early too! Much of what I get written is done at night and often that causes me some sleeplessness as well… I admire your discipline, Bill. The Tour De France is not one of my weaknesses!
I’ll pray for you Floyd after your last comment. 🙂
I have been staying up late lately because I met a guy and the only time we can hang out is after we both are free from work… So we both are coming home late and stay up even later, chatting. But it is definitely catching up with me because I like sleep… sleep is good.
Otherwise, I’ve been feeling very awake. Not just because I’m dating, but also because since he’s a Christian, we can discuss faith stuff and it’s amazing.
So yeah 🙂
By the way, I really like that Seventh Day Slumber song. They are cool!
Glad you like the song Zee. I like it even better that you are staying up late talking. Very very cool. 😉
Some days, I truly just feel flat. Usually the feeling passes. Not always. Sometimes it lingers, becomes a mood and then a funk. Sometimes a flat faith. Sometimes flat relationships. Sometimes everything is flat. Fellowship. Lots of time in scripture. The two best remedies for flatness. They make me alive again. Love makes me alive again… if I let it. If I get out of the way and quit stopping myself from feeling alive.
Flat is a good way to put it Kari. I know you did a series of posts on that topic (I believe that was when I started following you). They were good ones and perhaps others will find their way there.
My husband is so much more disciplined then I am when it comes to going to bed early and getting up early. I am totally a night person but thank God I can sleep later now. Lack of sleep affects our mood for sure and that can spill over into our spiritual mood or vise versa. Ok, all this talk about sleep makes me want to take a nap…good post brother.
I am not sure if it discipline or just the body saying, “Ok time to go to bed.” 🙂
Sometimes I do feel like I’m going through the motions. But this is something I’ve learned to just pray through and to know that the passion will come back.
We all have those times. Peaks & valleys. All necessary as part of our journey of faith & learning to trust Him more.