I Heart Sleep

Sometimes I sleep because I love it so much.  Naps in the middle of the day.  Sleeping in and staying in bed in the morning.  Going to bed early with nothing better to do.

Sometimes I sleep because I am so tired.  Almost like a passing out.  Comatose.  Fall on my pillow and out like a light.  It is in this state of sleep where I sleep talk.  I have even been known to sleep walk.  My phone has also been known to butt-dial people.  This state of sleep will most often end in the classic drool on pillow.

Then sometimes I sleep to pass the time.  Looking forward to the next day.  During sleep, time seems to fly by in the blink of an eye.  Lie in bed, fall asleep, wake up 8 hours later.  In these anticipated times of sleep I dream the most exciting dreams.  I always look forward to dreams like these where I can be somewhere I'd rather be.  Looking forward to the future.

Moral of the story:  Sam Loves Sleep
Goodnight

Into A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day...

"Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, who preformed great exploits. ...He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. ...He was held in greater honor than any of the thirty, ...and David put him in charge of his bodyguard." (2 Samuel 23:20-23)

Imagine facing a lion head on.  Imagine a 500 pound animal looking at you and the only thing it is thinking about is eating you.  Imagine now instead of running away you give chase.  Now this animal begins to run and you chase it into a pit.  This pit is not only the new home to a 500 pound man-eating animal and you, but is covered in snow causing the ground to give way and lose all traction.  This is the basis of a quick story most miss in the pages of the Bible.  I have been learning so much through this quick passage.

How many times do I turn the other way when challenges face me?  How many times do I choose to not take that leap of faith?  How many times do I regret not taking that risk?  When that lion comes face to face with me, I will chase it and take that risk.  Become a lion chaser.

Love is...

Patient, kind, not envious, not boastful, not rude or self-seeking, blah, blah, blah...

Words are pretty and they often sound so good.  We can formulate sentences and thoughts that sound pleasing to other people.  We can remember scripture that tells us what love is, but what is true love?  How can I experience, share, give this love.  Where is the love?

In trying times I feel overwhelmed with emotions and wonder if these emotions are something from within or just a product of my surroundings.  Love can be downplayed so easily in our world through fleeting words and careless conversations.  If I can clarify things a little, I'm not sure anyone can completely express true love to another person.  I think love is something from above, God is love and to experience love is to experience his grace and power.

As mere humans, we can attempt to love people as God loves us, but in our faults we will often fail.  The only true way (as I am learning in the past couple of days) to love someone is to look at them through God's eyes.  See that person as God would, through the shortcomings and failures.  Only in this way can we even attempt to love in God's capacity.

Thanks for being faithful.  Thanks for sharing your heart.