Ending the day quietly and peacefully
After the hustle and bustle of daily life, for me, ending the day quietly and peacefully is very important.
My husband and I usually go to bed at around 9:30 these days and for the next hour or so I read (my husband likes to go to sleep). There is nothing nicer than being all cosy in bed at the end of the day reading quietly (perhaps with a mug of hot chocolate on the bed stand).
The house is perfectly still, even the cats are resting, dogs are asleep and there is complete calmness.
I couldn't think of better way to end each day.
I usually have two books on the go — one is a novel or perhaps something non-fiction and the other is my daily Christian reading. In the evening I read my novel for a short time then switch to my daily devotional/bible reading and my journal writing (which includes my daily “thankfulness” list). Following this, I usually read a chapter from my Christian reading pile — at present its Plenty for Everyone by Corrie Ten Boom. This means I end my day with the Word of God on my lips and on my mind, which for me, is the perfect way to end a day. I don’t want to sleep on something I had just watching on TV or a DVD or from a novel. I want to fall asleep with what is most precious—God’s word. My mind is full of good thoughts and not those of the world.
I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;
For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:8
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Sounds lovely, Jo! :) I like to have down-time before going to sleep, too - but we go to sleep at 9:30pm most nights, so our down-time starts earlier! We used to stay up later than that - don't know how we did it. Love going to bed early now!
ReplyDeleteI used to read my Bible right before going to sleep, but I never remembered it afterwards and found it hard to get my head around what I was reading because I was too tired, so I read it earlier in the evening now!!
I found writing down what I had just read (or summarising it) has made all the differences as I was also completely forgetting what I had just read. Now I keep a journal of my readings/devotion time and it has worked. But you need to be awake enough to put pen to paper:))
DeleteI like your cozy bedtime ritual. We do likewise. I love to read also, and like you, am often am in between a novel and a non-fiction. I don't get quite as much reading done as I used to. I suppose blogging takes up some of that. But it is truly my favorite way to end the day. I often get so sleepy now by 9:30 or 10:00. Cocoa sounds nice.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Pam
Now that it's just the two of us I read far more than I ever use to as I have more spare time to read. I have just come inside from sitting in the Autumn sunshine reading - it was beautiful . I only came inside as my cat was suffering separation anxiety!!
DeleteSo good to end the day on a peaceful and blessed note. :-) I need to get back to doing that more like I used to do.
ReplyDeleteWith all the stresses I have had of late (with my son) this for me is the best way to end the day - its the best way to calm down and reduce stress levels. And how better than with the Word of God:))
DeleteI won an Ipod a year and a half ago. Nearly every night, I listen to the Bible as I'm falling asleep using YouVersion's reading plans. Then, in the morning, I listen to it again while I lie in bed for a few minutes before rising. It's a good way to end and begin a day. God bless!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I'm going to add your blog to my blog list on my blog. That's a lot of "blog"s in that sentence!
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Blessings,
Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage