One thing that has consumed a large part of my remaining brain cells is my sweet Simon's bad night-time sleep habits! Please, someone tell me why does he keep waking up? Periodically, we will once again let him "cry it out." Sometimes that tactic is successful. Other times it is frustratingly NOT. And when it does seem to work, and he sleeps through the night for a few nights or maybe even a week, he fairly quickly starts waking up again; and I just think, What am I missing here?!?! But one night, a thought occurred to me how similar I am in my relationship with Jesus. I mean, I am undisciplined, have bad habits, wrong priorities, unkind words flow from my mouth, irrelevant irritations push me over the edge. And after "crying it out" (if you will), I realize how self-centered I am being and my lack of concern and focus on Christ and the gospel. God graciously grants me repentance and forgiveness and joy and peace and clarity. But, pretty soon, there we are again - me and Simon - crying it out. I find that I also go through this cycle in other areas of discipline in my life (like health/fitness). Boy, am I thankful, relieved, overjoyed that my righteousness - all that is good within me - is of Christ. I will keep picking myself up, crying it out, looking to the gospel, getting back on the treadmill with the power of God's Spirit in me - and hopefully my times on the ground in tears of frustration and defiance will come to be fewer and farther between. In the meantime, I will certainly have more compassion in my heart for my little screamer in the night. He is his mama's boy, after all.
5 comments:
Wish I had some insight for you on Simon's sleep. How awesome of God to show you that crying-it-out parallel. And thanks for being honest with us about your spiritual failures! I struggle with that because I find it so easy to rest on my spiritual history and put on the everything's-great-I-know-the-right-Christian-answer face. The constant resurfacing of my sin makes me long for heaven all the more!
Hang in there, dear!
He is a child. You are one of God's children. You just keep on trying. Remember God knows your good heart.
Isn't it amazing how much we learn from our kids? I'm in awe.
I wish I could help with the sleep issue, too. Aaron started waking up during the night right as Evan was born. There in the first 6 weeks there were nights I go back and forth between kids for hours. I will pray for you when I get up - that's all I can offer. :-)
sounds a little similar to malachi in the past few months. his "good sleeping days" are over.
i love and miss you katie and simey...
janelle
i have no words of advice but will be praying for you my dear! i hate being sleep-deprived too. i don't think i ever had to cry it out - what's up with our kids then? :)
i just have to say i love the pic of you and little simon. what a precious boy!
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