Sleeping At the Feet of Jesus
As it would happen, I am not sleeping well. Too much going on and too little exercise plus too many cats in the neighborhood have been making for restless nights. When I do wake up that is when my anxiety hits in full force. My legs get restless and my mind goes in twenty directions. Lately, I have been leaving my bed to sleep on one of the couches in the other rooms. (Thankfully, there are choices!) I turn to prayer during these times and mostly I am soothed. But sometimes, worry and the “to do” list, (which is getting longer and longer) take over, which is what happened last night. So I went down to the living room and decided that I was not going stay up again. Not doing it! I need sleep!
Aside: I should have prefaced this with the fact that I am an excellent sleeper and a virtual slave to the hours I get. I cannot think clearly without sleep, I am grumpy and I am listless. If it goes on too long, I don’t end up liking anybody, least of all myself. So there; frame of reference on why sleep matters in my world. 🙂
My remedy as of late is to envision myself at my monastery in the chapel. One of my very favorite places on earth. I see myself laying prostrate in front of the humble cross there. I have done this several times though I don’t think anyone knows (until now… unless I was spied by a monk and they just let me be) otherwise this has always been between me and Jesus. I lay there…because I have nothing left and because an incredible comfort comes from the gesture. It is the only place left to go. I am always reluctant to get up; it feels right to be laying myself at Jesus’s feet. Which must be why, last night, I went right to sleep. Nothing else existed at that point except me and my Lord. There I lay for six solid hours there was no rush to leave and I woke up rested, refreshed, renewed and reassured that there is no where I can go that will bring me the solace and consolation that laying at the feet of, (or sometimes) sitting on the couch with, (or others) taking a walk with Jesus can bring.
For this and so much more, I give thanks to God.
“Come to me all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Mt 11:28-30
Annette, it is so good that you found solace at the feet of Jesus and that you were able to get much needed rest. My favourite place of solitude with our Lord is lying prostrate beneath the Crucifix at the renewal centre where I have been going for over 35 years. Prayers continue. Blessings.
It’s comforting to know I am not the only one who does these things, Lynda. Thank you! I have been visiting my place for 28 years and it has been a blessing. I would love to hear more about the Renewal Center.
Annette, it is Manresa Jesuit Spiritual Renewal Centre in Pickering, Ontario where I have been going for so long. It is not a fancy place by any means but it is holy ground and I feel so blessed to have found Manresa many years before I embraced the Catholic expression of the Christian faith. God was planting that seed and watering it for a long time; in fact, I was the wife of a minister when I began attending retreats at Manresa. Life is full of interesting twists and turns but God is there with us.
Blessings and prayers.
Sounds wonderful! It also sounds familiar! I am going to look into it. What a blessing these places are!