July 8

OT -- 1st Chronicles 5:18-6:81
So, I am reading along, enjoying the genealogy of various tribes and trying to stay focused on the task at hand. I enjoyed the little tidbit about the children of Amram "the children of Amram: Aaron, Moses and Miriam" because Miriam has always been one of my favorite characters. Minor player in the story of Moses that is true but having babysat most of my life for young cousins, younger brother, and myriad of neighbor children, I sympathized with her Moses boat watching. And I am assuming her quick response to Pharaoh's daughter.
At any rate, I read on and on about Aaron's kids looking forward to hearing about Miriam. After all, did she ever marry? How did her husband feel about her prophesying when they crossed the Red Sea? What about her water finding ability? Were her kids ashamed of her 'talent' like mine have been in the past?
Nothing. Not a peep about Miriam. And then I realize there is none about Moses' kids.
Now, I know he had at least 2 boys because Zipporah circumcised them to prevent God from killing Moses right before he returned to Egypt (Exodus 4:24). What happened to them?
Well, check out this link:
The Straight Dope

Yes, I read ahead just to check it out. You just have to wonder why Moses' sons weren't anything but ordinary. Was it because he didn't spend enough time with them or were the others in his cavalcade ugly to them because they were half Midianites? Remember, there was an ugly fight with the Midianites on the 40 year wander. (Numbers 31)
At any rate, it seems sad that they were only so-so.
And that answered for me, what became of Moses' sons. But not of Miriam.

NT -- Acts 26:1-32
The death knell "this man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar".

Psalm 6
Another lament psalm.
I read in the Atlanta Journal recently that a significant percentage of dementia and Alzheimer's patients see vast improvements when their insomnia is corrected. Mostly through the use of medication but also through meditations and behavior changes, the patients saw increased judgment, memory retention and significantly less emotional swings.
The same is probably true when you are grieving or anxious. It is a terrible spiral, no sleep, more anxiety. Not that I am endorsing sleeping pills but nothing looks better and you have precious little judgment when you have not slept the night before.
For years after Nathan died, I woke up every night at 3 AM and worried about everything. My parents, my kids, money, the roof, you name it. Alcohol, pills, exercise, nothing was any help. And buddy, by the time 5 PM rolled around every afternoon, I was a screaming you-know-what.
One day in Sunday School, a man that I have almost no respect for because of his scheming, conniving ways was talking to someone else about how you cure the 3 AM worries. He said you claim whatever it is that you are obsessing about as a blessing then start naming all your other blessings. Instant sleep. Well, maybe not instant, but very quick. It is hard to obsess when you are listing out all the wonderful things that God has gifted you with.
I won't pretend that I don't still wake up at 3 AM but not every night and I am usually able to get back to sleep fairly quickly with no 5 PM meltdowns. And for that I add the above gentleman to my list of blessings.

May your 'couch' be dream filled and seldom filled with groaning and tears.