"I feel thin, like butter spread over too much bread."
                                                 .--Bilbo Baggins 

I learned a lesson this week. Sleep is important.

The last couple of weeks or so have been busy and I have been up late at night finishing up graduate work homework, reading things that I want to read and doing things that need to be done. Looking back over this time I realize that I have averaged between 4 and 5 hours of sleep a night. It really hasn’t been too bad—a little rough at the sound of the alarm clock, but otherwise, doable.

At least, that is what I thought.

A few days ago I noticed that I couldn’t concentrate on and enjoy anything that I was reading and when it came to writing I couldn’t come up with, let alone harness, a creative thought. It felt like my brain was “buzzing.” Apparently 4 or 5 hours of sleep a night is not enough sleep for me. 

Over the past few nights I have gotten over 8+ hours of sleep and I am literally “a new man.” The clarity and freshness in my head and in my heart is amazing. Yes, I said, “in my heart.”  It has been said that, “Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is sleep.” As I have gone through this little “sleep” experience (or lack of) I have heard God speaking to my heart about “stewardship.” According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, the definition of stewardship is “the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care.” 
 
For me, this sleep thing is a stewardship issue.  My life, my body, and my mind are for God, for my family and for others.  I do not live in isolation--my life affects other people and I want to be careful to not take my health for granted.  Over a period of time poor stewardship in the midst of productive effort leads to a state of diminishing returns.  I found this to be the case in my body as well.   I must be careful and responsible as it relates to my body, my mind and my spirit and a good place to start is with a good night's sleep.