Have you ever had a hard time falling asleep at night?
Let me re-phrase that.
In the past two weeks, have you had a hard time getting to sleep at night?

Considering how important sleep is to staying healthy and giving our immunity a boost, this is one positive thing we can learn to do better. Even during a pandemic. Here’s a little idea for you: Pray the alphabet.

Thank God for something that starts with A. “Thank you, Lord, for animals.”
Thank God for something that starts with B. “Thank you, Lord, for beauty.”
You get the idea.

When I do this, two things happen:
1) I fall asleep with gratitude in my heart instead of worries and cares.
2) I never make it to Z.

Sometimes I thank God for people.
Thank you, Lord, for Anna-Abel, Blake, Charlie, Dan, Eli-Ella-Evie-Emma-Ember…
It’s ok to use a letter more than once.

Sometimes I thank God for things that give me joy.
Thank you, Lord, for Art, Books, Crossword puzzles…

Sometimes I thank God for flowers.
Thank you, Lord, for Asters and Bee Balm and Carnations…

Sometimes I thank God for food.
Thank you, Lord, for Apple pie and Banana cream pie and Coconut cream pie…
On second thought, that’s not such a good idea.

Sometimes I thank God for His gifts to me.
Thank you, Lord, for your Abundance, the Bible, Compassion…

Sometimes I thank God for Himself.
I praise you, God, because you are Almighty, Brilliant, Creative…

The possibilities are endless.
But on those nights when even this seems too hard
and words don’t come,
take heart from some old Jewish folklore:

If you recite the alphabet five times very slowly,
God, to whom all prayers are known,
will put the letters together to form
the prayers you can’t put to words.

“I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
 I have set the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body will also rest secure.”
Psalm 16:7-9

Next: a whole bunch of posts on “A-Z”!