My Ankle- by Amy

I'm none-too-happy with my siblings who think that it's amusing that I rolled my ankle on Sunday. Just wait until they are ten years older, has-beens, bored in a slow-pitch softball game, and have an unfortunate accident! Actually, I would never wish this on them—even if they’re unsympathetic and unfeeling. They know who they are!

Fortunately, my ankle is healing, but Judah is not sleeping. The picture on the left is how I feel when he doesn't sleep. He's regressed—again—and I found myself asking God at 1:37 this morning to allow him to sleep. I know that God has the power, but in the wee hours of the morning, when I’m bleary-eyed and tired, I begin to wonder if this is too trivial to bring to God. I’m reminded, though, of Matthew 5:26: "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?” So, it stands to reason that if God cares that much about birds, then He cares about me and all of my burdens, and right now, Judah not sleeping is a burden! BUT...does this mean that He'll suddenly make Judah sleep? Not necessarily. Even if He doesn't allow Judah to sleep right now, God still loves and cares for me. As I lie there awake, I think of yet another passage from Romans 8:28: "He works all things together for good to those who love Him". But, how will it be good for me if Judah doesn't sleep? Now that I’m awake, I can think of several ways:
it teaches me to trust God for strength
it teaches me to give of myself
I am learning to be a mom and to make sacrifices, which, in the coming days, will be a valuable lesson
it allows me to serve two people, unselfishly: Judah and Mark
it teaches me to pray more, even for "little things"
it allows me to have empathy/sympathy for those who have trouble sleeping
it teaches me that even if I don't know the reasons that God is not allowing Judah to sleep, I can be content and know that He will provide strength for because He never allows me to be tempted beyond what I am able to bear. I understand that truth because I lived to tell about it!

Anyhoo, it is 8:43 AM and I am tired, but no worse for the wear. And Judah? Well, he had a long night, and is, of course, catching some zzz's as I write this. He’s tired, after all.