Day 3 of Thanksgiving ~ Thanksgiving during the Night Watches

Thanksgiving during the Night Watches Psalm 119: 62,148 If you are a mom (especially a young mom), or you have trouble sleeping, then you know how it feels to be awakened several times during the night. It's easy to become bitter about losing sleep, compare yourself to others who *appear* to have gotten more sleep than you did, and to become accustomed to dreading the night time. With our first three babies, I hated being woken up. I did everything I could to ensure that that baby would sleep through the night, as early as possible. If the baby woke up, I got him or her back to sleep as quickly as possible, and with an aggravated sigh of relief, I went back to bed. This was especially true with the first two. I had started to loosen up with the third baby, but I still did not see being woken up, as a good thing. I'm sure a lot of moms can relate to this. It wasn't until I couldn't have any more babies, that I looked back and regretted my attitude toward night wakings. During the five year period, when we couldn't have any more babies, I came across Psalm 119:148: ("My eyes anticipate the night watches, That I may meditate on Your word."). I was grieved that I had missed out on the blessings that God may have had for me when our first three babies were little. The word 'anticipate' really stood out to me. I realized my attitude was completely wrong and selfish and that I had never anticipated the time I could have spent with God and my baby, during the night. I could have snuggled my baby, rocked him or her with joy, prayed, read my bible, meditated on scripture, or just enjoyed the smell of my newborn. I felt God speak to me over and over about this verse, until I longed for another chance for a re-do. When we got that chance and little Quintin was born, everything was different. My whole outlook and attitude was different, and so was the baby. If God had not prepared me with that verse, and changed my attitude, I would not have been able to survive the challenges that Quintin brought. The child would not nurse. The child didn't want any bodily contact aside from bare minimum care. I finally found a tiny bottle with a tiny nipple (my friend recommended I look for one). I pumped for weeks, used that tiny bottle, and slowly got Quintin used to being near me by using skin to skin contact a little at a time, at night. He finally started nursing full time at 5-6 weeks (and somehow I never had to give him formula) and he nursed happily for 16 months. No mom wants the added stress of pumping at night (for the next feeding), plus all of the normal sleep deprivation of a newborn, but I did it, and I look back and can honestly say, I handled it with grace and joy. Yes, I complained a little, and yes it was difficult, but I hung in there. I asked people a lot of questions and I learned from the experience. I'm sure someday I will be able to help someone else. When Quintin finally switched to full-time nursing, I was even more grateful than I was before, because I could nurse him at night and not have to get up to pump. I snuggled him, and rocked him, and I loved being up with him. It was the sweetest time of my life. When Isaiah was born, little did I know, I was in for an opposite challenge. He nursed from the time he came out of the womb :), but he wanted to be as close to anyone as he possible could. I can hardly stand co-sleeping, and I've never really supported it. We don't let our kids in our bed. I've always seen our bed as a sanctuary of rest and relaxation, communion and connection. No kids allowed! But Isaiah challenged me on this for the first 12 weeks and now I'm not so judgmental of couples who allow kids in their beds! I slowly transitioned Isaiah into sleeping in his own bed and he loves his bed, now, but he'd happily sleep with me all night if I let him. Those first 12 weeks were so hard, and I did complain, but I also look back and I know I had a different attitude about it. I remember saying, "He just needs time". Last week, I was up with him 5 times one night, due to teething. In the morning he had his new tooth, and I was tired but there was no bitterness towards being woken up. I've come so far! I would like to blame coffee as the culprit of my changed attitude, as I didn't drink coffee with our first three babies, and maybe it has a little to do with it, but I can honestly say that God changed my perspective. Let this verse soak into your spirit, too: "At midnight I shall rise to give thanks to You Because of Your righteous ordinances."(Psalms 119:62 NASB) God is Lord of the day, and we clearly and purposefully allow him to be. What I'm suggesting to you, is that you allow him to be Lord of your night, too. When you are up at night, learn to make it a productive time, of prayer and thanksgiving. Let it be a joyful time, where you soak in that all-too-fleeting time with your baby. None of us can do this perfectly and I'm not suggesting that I do. I can say, however, that by taking small steps in the right direction and surrendering this to God, he can slowly change your bad attitudes, into thanksgiving! God bless, and by all means, THANK God for the sleep you do get and COFFEE! <3