Ponder This – by Karl Coulson

NOTE:  For today’s blog, we have a guest writer, my husband Karl.  Thanks Honey!

There are some things that I do which make me shake my head and wonder, why? As ya’ll know, donna kay and I are spending the summer in our fifth wheel – sometimes camping in the mountains, sometimes in Encampment parked at a friend’s house and sometimes in Cheyenne parked at Windy Acres, my cousin’s place out on Horse Creek Road.

Recently we were in Cheyenne for Frontier Days. We had a great time thanks to really good tickets, procured by our friend Liz, to the rodeo and two night shows. On Sunday morning we went to church at our home church Golden Prairie Baptist out north of Burns. We love that church, and they love us. Pastor Jeff always has some great insights and some much needed encouragement. Usually donna kay and I talk about his sermons all the way back to town. This week we talked about something else.

After the sermon we’re “deployed”, Pastor Jeff’s word sending us out to show God’s grace and love to others. Then after the service we were standing around talking to friends when Jeff started a conversation with me. Eventually he got around to asking me how we were getting along living in the trailer and asked how we were sleeping. I assured him it is very comfortable and that we sleep well most nights. He asked this with a big smile on his face. Now, Jeff is almost always smiling so at first I thought nothing of his question other than concern for us. By the time I got to the truck in the parking area I knew better. I just got busted. I was sleeping during his sermon. Shameful, but it happens.

It’s not that what he was saying was boring, it never is. It’s not that I’ve heard it all before, because I haven’t. I slept well the night before and I wasn’t sleepy on the 40 minute drive to church. But try as hard as I could, sleep overtook me. (Good thing I don’t snore.) I felt donna kay nudge me several times. I would wake up for a couple of minutes then breathe heavily and go back to checking my eye lids for leaks.

It’s not the tenor of Jeff’s voice or his lack of emotion. It’s not his volume because this is not the only sermon I have missed most of. Pastor John at our church on St. Croix is loud. Really loud! To the point of vibrating the windows at times, loud. Even with the A.C. running he can heat up the room with his passion and with his emotion. But I can sleep during his sermons as well. (Sorry John.)

I’m not the only one. Let’s be honest now, I’ve looked around and noticed others in both congregations sleeping sometimes. I’m sure none of us mean to, it just happens. With me it usually starts when I look down to refresh my thoughts on the Bible passage being addressed. I re-read the passage, and to make sure I have it in context, I read several verses before and after the passage referred to. While contemplating the meaning, my sight blurs, I blink my eyes to clear them and there I go, I’m done.

Several years ago donna kay and I took a class by Kim Bevel titled “Gray Matter”. In this class we learned that a person can only concentrate on someone speaking 10 to 17 minutes before their mind withdraws. In order to refocus a person needs to become active, move around, stand up, sing. This could be part of the problem. The other part of the problem I learned doing yoga. Yes, this tough as nails former truck driver has done some yoga. This last winter donna kay and I did some “stretching” and “relaxing” yoga just before bed each night for a couple weeks. Man did we sleep good. In the relaxing yoga it was a lot of deep breathing and stretching out the chest. Before the sermon each Sunday we sing. I sing, as King David did, with all my might, from my gut, breathing deep singing loud. We’ve stretched, breathed deeply then sat down and relaxed to listen to really important information. Do ya see it coming? That’s right, after 10 minutes I’m done. This is not every Sunday, just sometimes.

I am not suggesting that church services be rearranged. I’m not saying we need to do the sermon first and the singing and greeting of friends later. I’m just giving a plausible reason for my shameful actions. I berate myself at the time and again later and feel guilty.

But I have another thought. During the service I have greeted all my friends, at both churches. I have sung with all my might praising God for his love, faithfulness and grace. I’ve prayed thanking God for all my blessings and His salvation. Perhaps at this point God touches me, giving me complete relaxation, telling my soul to rest in His arms. Perhaps God is telling my soul, “Rest, I’ve got this”. Maybe He’s say’n “you’ve been keyed up all week worry’n about all those things that stress you out, just rest”.

So, with this in mind, I’ve decided that I’ll continue to try to stay focused, but when I don’t, I’m going to be thankful for God’s rest and not feel guilty.