Counting Sheep

Sleeping is not one of my gifts.   The sleeping part is ok, but getting to sleep is often difficult for me. And it seems that no matter what time I get to sleep, my internal alarm clock is going off between 5 and 6 – if not earlier.  I am ok with the “waking up” part.  I feel like my mind works best before 11am, so I try to take advantage of those early-morning alert hours.  The “going to sleep” part is the part that bugs me.  I find myself lying there with my head spinning about that day’s activities or the things that might be coming up for me the next day.  I think about the same things over and over again with no conclusion and no resolution.  There is one common theme in all of this mental gyration – me.   All of my thoughts are about me - what someone did to me or what someone should have done for me or what someone will do for me.  I have found that if I can stop thinking about me for a few minutes and start thinking about someone or something besides me, I can usually get to sleep.  Thinking of others and being appreciative of the blessings in our life is a lot like prayer if there is a God in your life.   I have heard people say that they are ashamed that they frequently fall asleep while praying.  For me, it is God’s way of letting me know that my mind is finally in order.  “Get some rest.  I’ll see you in the morning.”