This week’s spiritual discipline is “surrender.” Today’s blog is the chapter “A Nap,” from Chris Maxwell’s book, Pause for Moms.
Remember the occasion? The child was tired. It was past nap time and his day had already been very busy. Games and laughter and more games and more laughter—he had used his energy since breakfast without slowing down. Mama took him to his room but he resisted. Then he argued, stating his case in a way that proved his need for some rest. In his protest, he cried his way into sleep.
Don’t you know the feeling? As a mother, you know your children’s need for sleep. An afternoon nap gives them a fresh dose of strength and energy. A good night of sleep prepares them to enter a new day. But those days and nights without sleep leave them grumpy, sensitive, and irritable.
Moms love their children enough to stress the importance of sleep.
What if more mothers loved themselves enough to get enough sleep for their own bodies?
A good night’s sleep can help in healing, in releasing stress, in finding a little peace in the moment. Lack of sleep is often the result of hidden hurt but it doesn’t improve the situation. Sleep—created by the Creator—is needed. Get help if not sleeping well.
Also, in our hurried world of rapid obsessions, a little mid-day rest isn’t a bad idea. Maybe a conversation with yourself would convince you to make your way to the couch or bedroom and take a little nap. Maybe do unto yourself what you seek your children will do unto themselves. Enjoy the wonder of rest.
Sometimes the nap isn’t literal sleep with the eyes closed. Those naps are important and needed, yes. But busy mothers also need the calming, peaceful naps of surrendering everything to God even when wide awake and busy.
