I often have to remind myself, “things always appear worse at night.” I have actually said it multiple times this last week. I am sure that I am not alone in this thought.

Thinking back to the days of my childhood, this thought rang true then too. I loved my bedroom as a kid. During the day, it was a fun, exciting place filled with lots of light, fun toys, and  opportunities for adventure. But, at night, I didn’t want to be alone in there. In fact, I spent many nights trying to talk my brother, Kyle, into sleeping in my room with me. I remember saying often, “Kyle, don’t you want to sleep in my room because your room is scarier?” Kyle never fell for it. So, I would move into his room and sleep until the sun came up in the morning. Or, I think about how excited I was to go over to a friend’s house for a sleepover. I would pack my overnight bag and ask my mom a thousand times, “is it time to go yet?” But, when the time came for us to settle down and go to sleep, my joys for the sleepover soon faded and I wanted to be in the comfort of my home and with my mommy!

Night time can turn piles of laundry into big, scary monsters and make shadows of faces form on the walls. If you are sick, the fever always seems to get worse at night. If you are alone, the solitude is no longer your friend. And, small sounds become amplified to the max. My perceptions are usually more jaded at night and my fuse much shorter.

Science even provides some insights or answers to this question, “Why do things appear worse at night?” Here is one good explanation:

The relative isolation, quiet, and absence of distractions are probably the big factor here. During the day, we can use a variety of strategies to modulate these concerns, including taking direct action to address them. Lying in bed in a dark room, they become overwhelming and inescapable. (Source:Health.com)

When we lay down in bed at night, we turn off our external senses, hoping to fall asleep. Unfortunately, this gives our mind the ability to roam free from distractions and floods of daytime information and become very active. Our what-ifs swarm in, our worries grow bigger, and you begin to question, analyze, and rethink the days events.

I think that it is important to acknowledge that things seem worse at night. Then, we realize that it is mostly exhaustion and nighttime darkness that contributes to our feelings and NOT our inability to manage or move forward. I am a firm believer that the best way to defeat the dark is to shine the light! When you acknowledge the dark for what it is, you cause it to lose its power!

When I have trouble at night, I read Psalm 91 over me and my family. I particularly like Psalm 91:5 which states, “Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day.”

My 27 Thanks:

1. To every night, there is always a morning.

2. I realize that things are always worse at night and I can change my perspective.

3. Psalm 91

4. Psalm 91:5

5. Light penetrates the dark.

6. Judah let me lay in bed for a little longer this morning.

7. Judah has been very understanding of my lack of energy.

8. My mother-in-law came by my house to pick up Judah to take him to school for me.

9. Judah cried…he didn’t want to go to school…he wanted to stay with me. I let him. He still has a rough, persistent cough and I didn’t want to take any chances. Besides, I love spending time with my little buddy.

10. Judah loves spending time with me.

11. He was content to watch movies on the couch for most of the morning.

12. I was able to get into the doctor tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.

13. Gary made me enough soup the day before, so I had some great leftovers to heat up quickly and easily.

14. Gary called and let me know that he got off for the second half of his shift. He came home to take care of me.

15. My mother-in-law brought the twins over to play with Judah on his swing set.

16. Judah was thrilled to go outside and play with his cousins on his new swing set. I am so glad he got to get outside.

17. Gary brought home organic lemons and honey so I could tackle my cold with some old-fashioned remedies.

18. Hot baths. I took 3 of them today.

19. Appearances are not always Reality. Things may appear to be worse, but they really are not at all.

20.  My brother always let me sleep in his room at night when I couldn’t sleep in my own room.

21. My mom taught me to pray scriptures over my life when I felt afraid or confused.

22. Pastor Marcia is covering staff chapel for me. She has so much on her plate, but is always willing to lend a helping hand.

23. Abby is feeling much better, so she is holding down the kidmin fort!

24. I had friends praying for me today!

25. Prayer.

26. I got a lot of rest today.

27. Health is in my future.