In So Many Words

By Dr. Charles W. Page

Do you recall trying to sleep on Christmas Eve while waiting for Santa to come to town? The anticipation of Saint Nicolas and all his goodies was just too much—who could sleep? The lyrics of Santa Claus is Coming to Town taunted me. “He sees you when you’re sleeping—he knows when you’re awake…” I tossed and turned trying to fall asleep, fearful I’d miss out on Santa’s visit if he caught me awake. I never doubted Santa’s ability to be aware of my wakefulness.

Unfortunately, as adults, the issues that keep us awake during the Christmas season are more complicated than those we experienced as kids. Financial burdens, strained relationships, difficult decisions, brooding regrets and fretful thoughts race through our minds and hinder our rest.

There is someone who “sees you when you’re sleeping and knows when you’re awake.” It’s not Santa Claus. The Bible reminds us, God’s eyes never close. Perhaps this truth can tuck us in for the night.

“He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” (Psalm 121:3-4)

We erroneously think that as we “turn in” that God somehow “turns off” or moves on to do more important things. But God doesn’t wait for us to wake up before He returns to work. God is just as active during our sleep—or sleeplessness. Believers can rest assured knowing God is awake guarding our lives.

What does God do as we slumber? Psalm 127:1-2 reminds us that God gives to those that He loves as they sleep. What does God give? Understanding God’s generous nature, one rendering would be that God gives to the believer whatever is needed at the time. God can give you wisdom and direction with decisions as you “sleep on it” overnight (Psalm 16:7, James 1:5). Maybe there is a financial need. The scriptures are filled with examples of how God provided for the physical needs of those He loved as they rested (I Kings 19:1-8; Exodus 16:1-8).

God’s gifts are good, perfect (James 1:17), eternal (Ephesians 1:3) and purposeful (Galatians 5:22-25). They do not require batteries, warranties and cannot be purchased in stores. But they are available 24/7/365—not limited to one night each year. God’s greatest gift did not arrive under a tree but on a tree (John 3:16). “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)

It’s plain to see, God has our back as we sleep. Try this Christmas recipe for rest.

1. Repent—in areas where we are aware of our transgressions. “A clean conscience
   makes a soft pillow.”
2. Release—control of problems you’re facing and give them over to God.
3. Relate—connect with God through prayer and meditation while in bed.
4. Rest—allow God to do what you cannot do for yourself as you sleep.
5. Receive—God’s unmerited forgiveness, grace and blessings while you sleep.

An English proverb reminds us, “As you make your bed so you must lie in it.” The truth of God’s Word helps us face our situations. Although we cannot change the failures of our past, we can rest with a clean conscience based on God’s gift of forgiveness. Our current circumstances may appear overwhelming, but God gives His presence and His guidance in our hour of need. Our future is secure and hopeful when God’s greatest gift—His Son—is kept in view. A life supported by a vibrant, healthy relationship with the Shepherd of Sleep makes the most comfortable mattress. In childlike faith learn to trust Him as you lie down to sleep and remember: “He sees you when you’re sleeping.”

Dr. Charles W. Page is a sleep-deprived surgeon who completed medical school and residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Dr. Page is currently a rural surgeon and has taken numerous medical mission trips to South America and the Middle East. He and his wife Joanna live in Texas with their five children. He is the author of Surrendered Sleep: A Biblical Perspective. You can find more information at surrenderedsleep.com.

Surrendered Sleep

A Biblical Perspective
by Dr. Charles W. Page

PUBLISHER: Camino Real Publishers
ISBN-10: 0983138109
ISBN-13: 978-0983138105
PRICE: Paperback: $14.95; Ebook: $10.95

Remembering You

By Tricia Goyer

In the last ten years since I started interviewing veterans for my WWII novels, most have passed away. Some of them—realizing their days on earth were coming to an end—returned to Europe one last time with their family members to walk along paths they’ve never forgotten. Those trips inspired my most recent novel, Remembering You.

One of the most amazing experiences was when I received an email from a woman named Hana. She’d heard of my book and knew I’d interviewed some of the veterans. She asked if I’d interviewed any medics. Then she told me an amazing story. Hana was born on a cart just outside of Mauthausen. Her mother had survived being a prisoner of another camp and was transported to Mauthausen at the end of the war.

Hana was just three weeks old when the Americans arrived, and she was very ill. Because of the filthy conditions she got a skin infection and sores covered her body. No one expected her to live. Yet one of the medics saw the small baby and knew he had to do something. Even though it took most of the day, he lanced and cleaned all Hana’s sores, saving her life. Over the years she’d wanted to find the medic, but didn’t know where to start.

I was amazed by Hana’s story and told her I knew one medic—maybe he remembered who that man was. I gave Hana the contact information and I soon heard the good news. My friend LeRoy “Pete” Petersohn was the medic who’d saved her life! The two were soon reunited! After all these years Hana was able to look into the eyes of the man who saved her and thanked him. After all these years Pete was able to meet the woman he saved. “Baby!” he called out when he met her.

Remembering You is a work of fiction, but the experiences of the men are true. The experiences of the main character, Ava, are also true-to-life. I was busy with life when God pointed me to an amazing story, and to even more amazing men. I’m so thankful I took time to listen and care. I’m so thankful I allowed these men to share what … and who … they remembered most.

Tricia Goyer is a homeschooling mom of four and an acclaimed and prolific writer, publishing hundreds of articles in national magazines. She has also written books on marriage and parenting and contributed notes to the Women of Faith Study Bible. Tricia’s written numerous novels inspired by World War II veterans, including her new release Remembering You. Tricia lives with her husband and four children in Arkansas. You can find out more information about Tricia at www.triciagoyer.com.

This week my Saturday 9 will again be a bit different. Since my husband Bob, previously known on this blog as Happy King, is passionate about music and I can barely remember the names of songs that I like, I asked him to take a crack at this week’s questions. On the other hand, since my husband is so passionate about music, his answers are quite detailed. Hope you enjoy!

Saturday 9: Just Our Choices in Music

1. What was your first favorite song?
I’ve loved music for as long as I can remember, so I was thrilled when Trish asked me to sit in on her blog. Though I don’t recall exactly which was my first favorite song, I remember “Hey Betty Martin, Tippy Toe Tippy Toe” from my kindergarten class, which would have been in the fall of 1970. I recall everyone walking around on tip-toes when it was played.

I was one of the inaugural viewers of Sesame Street, and the first record I ever bought was from around this same time period. It was the 45 of “Rubber Ducky” with the flipside of “The Sesame Street Theme (‘Can You Tell Me How To Get to Sesame Street?…’).”

My parents sent me into the store to ask if they had a copy; I was four years old and it was the first time I remember doing something like that. The last record I bought at that store was John William’s score to Superman in 1978.

I have never stopped collecting music–it became a passion over the next 38 years. An early favorite song of mine was Simon and Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water. It was one of the few contemporary pop albums my parents had, and I still love the solo gospel piano that builds to that huge wall-of-sound and Art Garfunkel’s amazing vocal and those cannon-fire drums by Hal Blaine (who has played drums on many of my favorite records over the years).

2. Who was your first favorite female singer?
The other pop album my parents had at that time was The Carpenters self-titled third album by brother and sister Richard and Karen Carpenter. Karen’s voice was one of the most distinctive and beautiful I’ve ever heard and few people had the arranging skills of her brother.

Another early favorite was Patty Andrews of the Andrews sisters. I used to see them in some of the early Abbott and Costello films that aired every weekend on one of the New York City stations that our local cable company lined in to State College because the mountainous terrain made broadcasting impractical. Patty could sing anything and make it her own and when sisters Maxine and Laverne added their harmonies, they created a vocal sound that remains one of my favorites in all of pop music history.

3. Who was your first favorite male singer?
It would probably be Art Garfunkel‘s angelic tenor (see the answer to question number one).

4. Who was your first favorite band?
That would be the Beatles. I loved the animated film Yellow Submarine, which I first saw on the Penn State campus in the early 70′s. I remember seeing the film broadcast a few years later on our black and white TV set and the hair standing up on the back of my neck when I heard the harmonies on the chorus of “Yellow Submarine.”

I also recall racing home from school on my bike the day I knew their film “Help” was going to be on the Channel 16 Dialing for Dollars Movie out of Scranton. Keep in mind this was many years before the advent of music videos, so the chances to actually see footage of a favorite band performing were few and far between.

5. Who is your all time favorite band?
I don’t have a single favorite; I have many that I try to switch between because I tend to suffer from “overplay syndrome,” so I will only listen for a season and then come back to them after a time. I’ll give my dozen favorite bands but don’t hold me to them as some get edged-out over time and all of them have some songs I hate. I usually don’t like a band’s big hits – I generally will go for more obscure album tracks, but anyway here are 12 that I have returned to most often:

• The Beach Boys
• The Beatles
• The Byrds
• The Lost Dogs
• The Roches
• The Everly Brothers
• The Ramones
• Fleetwood Mac
• Buddy Holly and the Crickets
• Guster
• Steely Dan
• The Andrews Sisters

6. Who is your all time favorite male singer?
In his prime, I would say it was Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys.

7. Who is your all time favorite female singer?
On pure vocal talent alone I like Linda Ronstadt, but I also love:

• Natalie Cole
• Emmylou Harris
• k.d. lang
• Ella Fitzgerald
• Mindy Smith
• Cass Elliot
• Enya
• Shawn Colvin, and
• Marie Armenia

I should probably add that I think the quality of someone’s voice generally has very little to do with what I like about a song or why I would buy a disc. The emphasis on “singers” is why American Idol had contributed to an astounding decline in the quality of popular music and the toxically high levels of crap that make it difficult for me to listen to the radio. For me, it comes down more to the quality of songwriting or catchiness of the music. So I’m adding a sub-column that lists some of my favorite songwriters, many of whom also perform their own works:

• Brian Wilson
• Julie Miller
• Jimmy Webb
• Keith and Melody Green
• Terry Taylor
• Michael Roe
• Phil and Marie Armenia
• Bob Dylan
• Chris Tomlin
• Joni Mitchell
• Steve Fry
• David Crowder
• Twila Paris
• Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan
• John Lennon and Paul McCartney
• John Linnell (They Might Be Giants)
• John Flansburgh (They Might Be Giants)
• Phil and Marie Armenia
• Lindsey Buckingham
• Victoria Williams

8. What is your all time favorite LP/CD album?
I don’t have a single favorite so I’ll give you 12 that are near the top of the list:

• The Beach Boys Today!
• The Beatles The Beatles (aka The White Album)
• Julie Miller Orphans and Angels
• Keith Green For Him Who Has Ears To Hear
• The Lost Dogs Real Men Cry
• Jane Siberry The Walking
• The Ramones End of The Century
• Brian Wil
  son SMiLE
• Fleetwood Mac Tusk
• Lindsey Buckingham Out of the Cradle
• The Roches Speak
• Joni Mitchell Hejira

9. What was your first favorite radio station?
WMAJ in State College, an AM radio station that played the top 40 in the 70′s and put out little pamphlets that listed the top 40 singles and had pictures of the DJ’s on the front.

Thanks for indulging my husband on his stroll down memory lane! Visit Saturday 9 to find more participants and join in on the fun!