A real world with real problems

It appears I’m not the only one who seem to have lost the essence of feeling the joy of Christmas in the core of the heart because of the whirlwind of troubles which distracts us from coming and adoring Christ the King. I read my dear friend’s blog this morning, in some ways, comforted that I’m not the only miserable one this Christmas (I know it sounds crazy that I am comforted that someone else is ’suffering’ too. Although, my friend, I’m not ecstatic that both of us are going through difficult times! But was also just reminded that Peter said to rejoice in the face of suffering. [1 Peter 1:6, 1 Peter 4:13] Easy to say, hard to do, I know.. ).

Then I got ready for my devotional time… and what I read had encouraged me, and I thought I should share it, so my friend may be encouraged, and whoever out there who’s also probably not having the best Christmas this year (you know who you are, I know there are many others too), may find this comforting. Here’s what I read this morning…

Archbishop William Temple once put it this way: "Let us at all costs avoid the temptation to make our Christmas worship a withdrawal from the stress and sorrow of life into a realm of unreal beauty.  It was into the real world that Christ came, into the city where there was no room for him, and into a country where Herod, the murderer of innocents was king. Christ comes to us, not to shield us from the harshness of the world but to give us the courage and strength to bear it; not to snatch us away by some miracle from the conflict of life, but to give us peace - His peace- by which we may be calmly steadfast while the conflict rages, and be able to bring to the torn world the healing that is peace."

I encourage you to read a sermon which also quoted the passage above.

So often when I don’t feel that happiness and peace which I think I should have at Christmas time, I’d feel guilty because I should not feel this way. Christmas is all about love, joy and peace. Then I try to do all kinds of things hoping to eliminate that guilt and bring out that non-existent joy…and I fail, because I can’t create a joyful and peaceful feeling which is not there, I can’t make myself feel all warm and Christmasy inside when all I can think of is the troubles around me.

But now, I don’t have to. Christ did not come into a world when it was peaceful and joyful. He came in the moment when people thought that God was silent and they were suffering tremendously under Herod the great. He came into a world of darkness which desperately needed a Saviour. There’s no need to pretend that all is well and make Christmas look like a time when it’s problem-free.

He came into a real world with many real problems that we might experience real peace in Him.

Christmas is not a retreat from reality but an advance into it alongside the Prince of Peace.

Insomnia

From the Latin insomnus. In = no, somnus = sleep. No sleep. Inability to sleep.

It’s 1:00am according to my laptop’s clock. Really wide awake. Not a tinge of sleepiness. All the gears and wheels in my head are spinning as though they had forgotten to wind down for the night. Not good. I need to stay awake for my driver, who’s post call and driving at least 3 hours on a straight road in the afternoon. Not good at all.

Tried a lot of things to feel sleepy. Read boring books, surfed boring websites, and yes, I tried closing my eyes for sometime in my dark room. Didn’t work. In the frustration, I gave up trying. Might as well do something while I’m fully awake anyway…

What’s keeping me awake? Numerous reasons. But we shall not dwell on those…

Let’s talk about sleep. Perhaps that might make me want sleep and eventually feel sleepy enough to ZzzZzzzzz.

Here are some interesting facts I copied after reading quite a few sites on sleep. Yes, I read about sleep and still don’t feel sleepy.

1. The record for the longest period without sleep is 18 days, 21 hours, 40 minutes during a rocking chair marathon. The record holder reported hallucinations, paranoia, blurred vision, slurred speech and memory and concentration lapses.
(Gosh, am I glad I should be able to sleep in a few hours…)

2. It’s impossible to tell if someone is really awake without close medical supervision. People can take cat naps with their eyes open without even being aware of it.

3. Anything less than five minutes to fall asleep at night means you’re sleep deprived. The ideal is between 10 and 15 minutes, meaning you’re still tired enough to sleep deeply, but not so exhausted you feel sleepy by day.

4. A new baby typically results in 400-750 hours lost sleep for parents in the first year. (Does not deter me from still wanting kids…)

5. Elephants sleep standing up during non-REM sleep, but lie down for REM sleep. (Imagine getting up and down each night!!)

6. Scientists have not been able to explain a 1998 study showing a bright light shone on the backs of human knees can reset the brain’s sleep-wake clock. (How cool is that?!)

7. Some studies suggest women need up to an hour’s extra sleep a night compared to men, and not getting it may be one reason women are much more susceptible to depression than men. (Definitely a good fact to know…)

8. Ducks at risk of attack by predators are able to balance the need for sleep and survival, keeping one half of the brain awake while the other slips into sleep mode. (How nice it would be if I could do that when I’m on call)

9. Humans sleep on average around three hours less than other primates like chimps, rhesus monkeys, squirrel monkeys and baboons, all of whom sleep for 10 hours.

10. Tiny luminous rays from a digital alarm clock can be enough to disrupt the sleep cycle even if you do not fully wake. The light turns off a "neural switch" in the brain, causing levels of a key sleep chemical to decline within minutes. (What more from the city lights from our windows?)

Okay. I’m off. More attempts to have my shut-eye for the night. Clocking off at 1:30am – STILL not sleepy. Let’s hope I don’t nod off in the car ride later today.