Five minutes before falling asleep.

If you wake up as weary as you were when you went to bed the night before, try to recall what you were thinking about during the last five minutes before you went to sleep. What you think about in that five minutes impacts how well you sleep, which determines what kind of day the following day will be. When you sleep, your conscious mind is at rest, but your subconscious mind remains active. Psychologists call the subconscious the “assistant manager of life.” When the conscious mind is “off duty”, the subconscious mind takes over. The subconscious carries out the orders that are given to it even though you are not aware of it. For example, if the last minutes before going to sleep are spent worrying, the subconscious records and categorizes that as fear and acts as if the fear is reality. Thus muscles remain tense, nerves are on edge, and the body’s organs are upset which means the body is not really at rest. However, if those last five minutes are spent contemplating some great idea, an inspiring verse, or a calm and reassuring thought, it will signal to the nervous system, “All is well” and then put the entire body in a relaxed, peaceful state. Many of the days that begin badly started out that way because of the night before, during those critical last five minutes of conscious thought. You can input positive healthy thoughts into your conscious mind and pave the way for quiet, restful sleep by simply meditating on God’s Word as you drop off to sleep. For example, Psalm 91:1-2(NKJV): He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.”

Dear Math

Dear Math, Stop asking us to find your X. She's not coming back and don't ask Y either.

Forgot my son

Went to fetch my children from school yesterday. My son Barnabas is in the kindergarten at the same school. After my two girls came inside the car, I drove back. Before reaching home, I suddenly realized that I've forgotten to fetch my son. *Sigh. How on earthy could I forgot to fetch my son.

Furthermore, my two girls didn't even reminded me to fetch Barnabas. They too have forgotten their brother. So, I've to go back to the school and look for my son. While waiting for me, he went to look for his sister but couldn't find them. He told me that he is not worried though I'm not sure of that. Anyway, I'm glad that he is okay.

I'm reminded of God's love where He said that though a mother would forget her own son, God would not forget His people.

Keeping the Faith

2 Tim. 4:6–8

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. [7] I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; [8] in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing. 

How wonderful it will be to be able to say with sincerity what Paul said above. I wonder whether I'll be truly able to say it when the time comes. Will it come a time when I can truly look back at my life and remember all the trials that I faced and overcame. When problems seems to flood me and wants to drown me but I hang on to God and rise above it all. When sickness trouble me not just physically but mentally, emotionally and spiritually but I still hang on to God. When people criticized me in my ministry but I still persevere on. When the words uttered by inconsiderate people hurts like a sharp blade slicing my heart. When there is no words of encouragement being heard for the hard effort put in to serve. When God seems silent and distant at times. 

Would I allowed myself to be poured out as a drink offering? To be used by God to serve others, will I allow such things? Did I continue to fight on even when everything seems hopeless and so difficult? Will I continue to run the race when I feel tired and out of breath and the only thing that comes to mind is the thought of giving up.

Paul has said it and he has received the award, the crown of righteousness from the Lord. 

As for me, I'm still in the race. I must keep my focus on the finishing line. I may stop for a while to catch my breath but I'll still be moving forward towards the finishing line. God, help me.