Rest

Leaning reminded me of this verse from Psalm 127, and it is the English words to something that God has been teaching my heart in these past few weeks:

1 Unless the Lord builds the house,

    those who build it labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city,

    the watchman stays awake in vain.

    ² It is in vain that you rise up early

    and go late to rest,

eating the bread of anxious toil;

    for he gives to his beloved sleep.

Zero in on "for he gives to his beloved sleep" for a moment. Sleep (and its cousin, rest) have been rather elusive...pretty much since Sweet Girl was born. She still nurses through the night (those breastfed babies!) and Zach occasionally has night terrors or needs a diaper change, so between them both sleep for me has been at a premium. Days are better or worse, usually depending on my outlook, but I can honestly say that most days are pretty rough as far as being rested go. Enter the verse above: all my striving to be a better mother, to raise my children, watching in vain, stuffing my face with worry-bread....I can struggle and strive all I want, but at the end of the day, week, month, year, the Lord is the one who will keep my children, who will put rest into my heart and body, and who will bless me, us, them. And so I can rest.