Snoring

Have you ever tried to fall asleep with a bunch of snoring going on in the same room?   Actually, in the same bed.  I have.  And it is not easy.

 I love my husband.  And, he snores.  Thank goodness the two are not mutually exclusive or we would long ago have been a statistic. I don’t take it personally that he snores.  It is not something he does to irritate me and I know it.  And, he doesn’t deny that he snores, so we don’t even argue about it.

Once the snoring begins in earnest, it is all but impossible for me to fall asleep.  At one time, the problem was compounded by Jefferson – a cocker spaniel and the very first dog we ever owned together.  Jefferson was a great dog and we loved him beyond reason.  I bought him a wicker dog bed when we got him as a puppy.   While he was growing up, he ate it.  So, he slept at the foot of our bed.  He was a puppy for about two years – it is not easy having a grown up dog powered by a puppy brain.  But, after he grew up, he was close to being a perfect dog.  He had one major flaw.  He snored.  You know how people in the old cartoons snore?   Pretend those people are dogs and you will have a good idea of Jefferson’s snoring.

So . . . here’s what happened late one night.  I am trying to fall asleep. My husband is snoring.  Loudly.  My dog is snoring.  Loudly.  I cannot fall asleep.  I keep looking at the clock and calculating how much sleep I would get if I fell asleep that very second.  It is not good.  I am destined for sleep deprivation.  There is a desperation that overwhelms me – it causes me to try something – anything – to get the snoring to cease.  But, what can I do?  I have tried poking Husband in the arm and back.  Nothing changes.  I have tried pushing Jefferson with my foot.  Nothing changes.  I have resorted to shoving Husband and Jefferson – none too gently, either.  Nothing changes. They snore on.

And then, I hit on something. I was mad, so I started shaking the bed with my foot.  And Husband stopped snoring!!  A miracle. Sort of.   Jefferson is still snoring.  What can I do?  I just need one thing that works for Jefferson and I can fall asleep! I have no idea where the thought came from, but I decided to see what would happen if I meowed like a cat.  I’ve already said I was desperate.  So, I meowed.  I had nothing to lose.  And Jefferson stopped snoring!!  Success!  I am now shaking the bed with my foot and meowing like a cat at the same time.  There is one small problem.  Exactly how am I going to fall asleep and keep up my newfound snoring stoppers?  While I am contemplating this, a voice comes from the other side of the bed.  It says, “What in the world is wrong with you?!  Why are you meowing and shaking the bed?”  What could I say?  I told the truth.  And we still laugh about it all these years later.

The solutions that I come up with for my problems are far from elegant.  Or effective, many times.  It doesn’t stop me from trying; it just keeps me busy.  But, depending on God for help – well, that brings different results.  No matter how it may appear, God always has our ultimate good in mind.  He loves us completely and with an everlasting love.  And, for that reason if no other, we need to get to know Him better!  We need to know what His Word has to say to us.  To do that, we need to study the Bible.  Check out the upcoming events to the right of this post – you will see some opportunities coming up this month and next for you to participate in Bible study with other ladies who want to get to know Him better.  Take advantage of these opportunities.  Do not worry about homework!  Just come, participate, and see what God has to say to YOU!  He is the ultimate problem solver – and His solutions will probably not involve meowing.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.   2 Timothy 3:16-17