Conversation #7: Sleep

This week I have been a little affected by sleep.  You see there was this little project we had in my web structure class.  It was a large customer analysis document, and for it we had to conduct an actual focus group.

I still love web design, but I can tell you right now that performing focus groups is not going to be the part of the design process that I work in.  I don’t like bothering people, and I’m not very good at asking questions.  I can talk fine, but questions just aren’t my strong point (odd since I believe my favorite word throughout my childhood was “why?”).

Anyway, we had to do this, and I wasn’t looking forward to it.  Well my group didn’t put together a focus group until Friday, and we didn’t have a transcript to write the document off of until Sunday night.

Now to the point.

I started working on my portion of the document Sunday close to 10 pm, and I went over to our group leader’s house, because he and I were working on the same section.

I left his house at 2:15 am.

Then I finished one last section at 3:30 am.

Needless to say I wasn’t quite refreshed for piano practice at 7 am.

Surprisingly enough I made it through the day fine.  I was good through all of my classes, and band and choir went fine.  Then that night I hit the couch, and that was it.  I was absolutely out.  I didn’t fall asleep, but I had no desire to move whatsoever.  In fact I felt quite ill.  I went to bed at midnight, and I didn’t wake up to my alarm.  I didn’t wake up until 11:30.  I missed my first class, and morning work, but I still wasn’t feeling well at all.  I ended up missing (yes I counted) 10.5 hours worth of stuff Tuesday.

I wasn’t happy about it.

I have only had two sick days in almost 3.5 years of college, and I just don’t like missing things that I should be at.  It’s one of the (very) few work ethics traits I got from my father. (Very few that I received, not very few that he has.  He has an amazing work ethic.)

So I spent the whole day feeling sick, and mad at myself for not going to class or work or band or choir.

Then today something else occurred to me.

This is a blessing.

I am at a point that I can miss a day and be alright.  I had finished my one taxing project due this week, and I am comfortable with my parts in the music ensembles (not that that is reason for missing in-and-of itself) and I could get others to cover for me at work.

Instead of feeling miserable I should feel grateful.  That day of rest was so good to me.  I have felt way better today, and gotten more accomplished than I would have if I would have tried to push myself until break.

I feel like I’ve rambled this post, but I wanted to say that all to say this…

If you are one of those people who has no trouble sleeping count your blessing.

If you are one of those people who has a lot of trouble sleeping (I can think of 3-4 offhand) then I’ll be praying for you this week.

If you are running yourself ragged trying to get everything done (Mom!) give yourself a break.

and if you are about to have a break over Thanksgiving weekend allow yourself rest.

God gave us that rest.  In fact he called us to take it in the Ten Commandments.  It often gets overlooked, but a day of rest isn’t a bad idea.  So don’t worry about waking up and stressing about the meal you have to prepare for Thanksgiving.  Your family and loved ones will be happy to just spend time with you.

If you have more than just a day, then don’t waste that Friday doing everything you think you have to do before Christmas gets here.  Allow yourself to relax.

So, until next time.

All for the Glory of God.