Sleeping Beauties

"And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done." Genesis 2:2

"Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest." Exodus 34:21

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

Saying our prayers

Sleepy time

 A teacher's wish come true...everyone paying attention!

Seeing these kids in pajamas reminds me of the importance of rest. (Okay, well maybe sleep wasn't a good thing for Sleeping Beauty, but it's good for us.) . Our bodies were designed with a need for sleep. Recent studies have shown that all adults need 7-8 hours of sleep each night, and those who don't get a sufficient amount of sleep on a regular basis perform poorly on tests of problem solving and verbal acuity.  Kindergarten-age children require 10-12 hours of sleep.

Beyond a good night's sleep, we need spiritual rest. Children and adults alike need unstructured down-time to recharge. It allows them a chance to explore their own creativity.

God rested, not because He was tired, but as an example to us. God set apart the seventh day of the week as a day of rest, a day for us to take a break from the busyness of our lives and to worship.

We know this, of course, but sometimes, in our activity-driven world, we need to give ourselves permission to take time to take it easy. When we regularly take time to pray, to rest, and to sleep, our bodies and spirits are renewed, and we're better able to face the challenges before us.