I have, more often that I’d like to admit, taken problems to bed with me and spent some of those nights restlessly trying to solve them. Most of us
probably have a hard time “turning off” our minds so that we can sleep at night, rather than tossing and turning all night wrestling with some problem or perhaps our fears about some upcoming event. It’s hard not to think about things that have happened and how we should react to them or not to run over and over all of the worst case scenarios that we can imagine about some upcoming event.
The truth is that what we really need is a good night’s sleep so that we can awaken refreshed and ready to take on whatever we face that day. Pulling an “all-nighter” never worked for me in college and it doesn’t work today when faced with problems that will need to be solved tomorrow. Perhaps John Steinbeck had it right when he said:
“It is a common experience that a problem, difficult at night, is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it.”
The human mind is a wonderful thing, but it can also be highly self-destructive. During the day there are usually lots of things going on to keep it busy, even if it is also engaged in solving a problem or planning for 
an upcoming event. While we are fully awake, most of us have the discipline to focus our minds on the tasks at hand in some organized way. It is when we lie down to sleep that we may find that given nothing else to occupy it our mind starts to run wild and in many directions at once (creating that “ruffled mind” that Charlotte Bronte referred to).
As we lay there at night, our imagination conjures up scenario after scenario, perhaps each more implausible than the last, but still we explore them in our half-asleep state. We’re not really asleep, but our minds are creating nightmares. Why? Because we feel that we must somehow solve whatever the problem is that we are fixated upon; even if there is no “solution”. We cannot admit that there may be no solution. We cannot accept that we can’t somehow solve it (whatever “it” is).
Perhaps the hardest thing for me to learn in my life was to let go of things and admit that I cannot solve all of the problems that I might encounter. Sometimes I just have to lay there in bed and let go by using my favorite little prayer – “Not my will but thy will be done.” I will admit that I 
mentally fight it sometimes and I may have to repeat that prayer several times before I really can let go and trust that everything will be OK if I just put things in God’s hands.
Sometimes, when I need to convince myself that I’m still a little bit in charge of things I’ll change it up a bit by praying instead, “Lord, help me make the right decisions.” It least that lets me feed my ego and think that I’m more involved the solution process then. The important thing is to let go of the feeling that you are alone in whatever the situation is and that only you can affect the outcome and ask God for help. Try my little prayer and see if it works for you, too.
If you can get to that point where you can let go and put things in God’s hands; then you can get that good night’s sleep that you really need. You will likely find in the morning that Steinbeck’s advice then applies.
Have a great night’s sleep tonight!
Posted by Norm Werner 
“As I walked out the door to my freedom I knew if I did not leave all the anger, hatred and bitterness behind that I would still be in prison.” (Nelson Mandela), as seen on the 
we are carrying this heavy sac of stuff around. The weight of anger, hatred, prejudices and bitterness weighs us down and pulls down the corners of our mouths, causing us to look pained, angry or unpleasant at the least. The furrowing of our brows at the thoughts of those things causes wrinkles on our faces and the invectives that may spew from our mouths make us uninviting friends or guests indeed.
me to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Once you have found peace through your faith and
their lives through the resolutions that that make? Well, maybe it could provide that new beginning; but only if you really want to change.
Instead, start backtracking from that goal and try to “see” the steps that are necessary to get to that goal. Those steps become your intermediate goals; the little things that when all are completed will result in you achieving your goal in life.
someone, announcing their plans to them and then asking them to hold you accountable for achieving those plans helps keep them on track. One cannot let one’s self off the hook as easily when you have to report back to an accountability partner why you did not do what you said you were going to do. The other benefit is that it gives you someone to celebrate those small victories with once you have completed a step in the process.
goals? Do you have the needed prerequisites – education or training/skills or tools – to be able to achieve those goals. If not; should acquiring those prerequisites be an intermediate goal?
So, here we go into 2016. What have you got planned for this week and next that are steps along the way towards your goals? As you achieve those intermediate steps, don’t forget to take time to congratulate yourself on your progress. Also take time every month to review your plan to see, based upon your new experience, if you need to add some things to your drawing. That’s not a setback. That’s experience turning into wisdom and a wiser you is much more likely to achieve those goals.
ondly remembered events, weren’t necessarily all that great. We cannot turn back the clock and recapture the simpler life depicted in the fictional TV town of Mayberry; nor would we really want to, because we would be missing out on the great advances that have been made in technology and medicine and other fields that makes life better today that it was 10-20 years ago – in simpler times. That won’t happen of course, because – We’re not going that way.
touchdown. He may still be living in the same town and still wearing his high school letter jacket 40-50 years later. He works down at the car wash now, where he is still a minor celebrate (at least in his mind) to the people of the town who remember his heroics. Or maybe you know the guy or gal who never married because they are still holding out hope that a failed romance or marriage of decades ago will somehow be rekindled and work this time. They can’t let go; but you can, because – We’re not going that way.
focus ahead on the opportunities that lie in front of you for 2016. There’s an exciting adventure just ahead, with interesting twists and turns and a wonderful prize at the end. There’s a really neat person that you haven’t met yet just waiting for you in 2016 and a new job opportunity that hasn’t been create yet. A wondrous New Year is about to unfold; so, come on, let’s go; I can’t wait while you look back at the past because – We’re not going that way.
In general, people do seem to be more fixated upon money – the making of it, the collecting of it and the spending of it. One can make the case that if one runs out of money, there are still ways to live. One could sleep on a park bench, for instance. However, when one runs out of time there is only one place that they end up sleeping – forever – and no amount of accumulated money can do anything for you then.
ads down and working to earn more and more money, are we spending our time wisely? I think not. There are so much more rewarding ways to spend our time, enjoying the world around us with family and friends.
opportunities to enjoy life and those around you. More importantly there is always time after work to do the things that really make life worth living.
to be happy and content just being with yourself. Cherish your time alone. In all cases, at least be aware of and thankful for the time that you have and treat each day as if it may be your last; for you really don’t know if that may be the case.
the events of 2015 and look ahead to 2016. Hopefully we also use our memories of events in 2015 as teaching moments and learn from them. Then we can move on and make new and more rewarding memories in 2016.
there is another saying that Jack posted recently by poet Robert Frost – “How many things have to happen to you before something occurs to you?” Hopefully, you are not so oblivious that Frost’s quote applies to you. I have known people who couldn’t figure out why bad things seemed to happen to them all the time and they tend to be people who put themselves in bad situations due to poor decision making. There is a difference between just having bad luck and making bad decisions that put you in harm’s way. Try to see the differences and understand how to make better decisions.
Sometimes there were no alternatives available, because some things just happen and you just happened to be there when they occurred. But many times, there were different paths that you could have taken that day to arrive at a different place and not be in the position to have those bad things happen to you. Most people can see where they went wrong when they reflect back on the events and decision leading up to an event. Learn from that hindsight.
to look forward to the new things that have yet to happen. Yes, the old songs of 2015 and before were great, but think of all the new songs that you have yet to hear. Your old friends will still be there (most anyway) and there are new friends to be made. The adventures that you had in 2015 may have been wonderful, but there are still unexplored places and new things to try in 2016. There are memories out there just waiting for you to have them. The future is a wondrous place and you are about to step into it.
It’s the time of the year when we all seem to have fun with making New Year’s resolutions. That is the problem; we do it in fun and without real resolve. The list of “resolutions” really is just a wish list. Instead of “I will lose weight in 2016”, we are really just saying, “I wish I could lose weight in 2016.” I will go to the gym, becomes “I wish I got to the gym more.” And on it goes.
commitments that they shared. Having to account for ones actions or inaction in the face of commitments that were made has the effect of causing one to become more diligent about meeting goals, completing tasks and generally fulfilling resolutions and commitments.
time-after-time in front of them. Over time they will also help you formulate more realistic goals and commitments by helping you see that overcommitting and then under-performing may be at the root of your issues.
collective will of the people. Those with the ability to tap into the Force and focus it in the cause of good are called Jedi warriors. There are others who tap into the dark side of people’s wills and use that for evil. All of the stories of the Star Wars franchise have been about this continuing struggle between good and evil. At any point in time, evil may seem to have the upper hand or may win a specific battle; however, the overall message of the Star Wars series and of Wadsworth’s Christmas song lyrics is that right (good) will prevail and we shall have peace on earth. To believe otherwise is to allow yourself to be drawn over to the dark side and you will find no joy there.
resolve to join the Force in the battle for peace on earth, good will to men by doing your part and making your contribution to the end of hatred, prejudices and bigotry. Say a kind word to someone. Do a good deed for someone. Offer the hand of friendship to someone in need of a friend. Stand up and speak out against the injustices that you see and the bullying that you witness. Become a living witness to the good that God promises all with the birth of Jesus.
a time to look at what happened in a manger over 2000 years ago and Believe.
compassion and sharing, and all of the other attributes which flow out of a heart filled with the love of Jesus. A mind focused upon the work of God has no time for cleverness or deceit or hatred or anger or prejudice. A soul committed to faith has no time for deceitfulness, spitefulness or hatefulness. A body engaged in good works in God’s name can do amazing things, endure unbelievable pain and overcome overwhelming odds; if we Believe.
kinder and gentler side. In the moments ahead, when you may be standing in church somewhere singing Silent Night, amidst the glow of the flickering candles of all who have come to worship; don’t analyze, don’t question and don’t overthink things – just Believe.
that something will happen. In real life, most seem to follow the rule that “silence is golden”. However, silence in the face of injustice is not golden, it is shameful. Not taking action when your heart tells you to is just as bad.
hat has gained foothold in America. “Them”, of course, are all of “those people” who are not like us – the foreigners, people of color, and people with religious practices or lifestyles that we do not understand. “They” almost always belong to one of those groups on the citizenship form that fall under non-white. “They” are different from us and that is scary.
planning clinic and shoot people with whom you disagree and say that you did that out of religious conviction. There are few religions that condone killing in the name of the religion. Certainly those who claim to be Christians may peacefully protest those things with which they do not agree or they may pray for the souls of those whom they consider to have wandered away from the teachings of Christ, but they do not harm others in the name of their religious beliefs. Nothing could be further from the teachings of Jesus than those types of actions taken in His name.
ed your help, such as food pantries or homeless shelters. Many are run mostly or entirely by volunteers, so more of your money goes directly to impact the cause and fill the needs. Every one of them, if you check into them, is run by people with a true passion for the help and services that they provide.
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