Insomniacs of the World Unite

I'm not a great sleeper at the best of times, and since coming to Portugal, the pattern hasn’t improved that much.

Now everyone’s got their pet solution to sleep problems. Counting sheep is one solution that’s been offered, but that kind of thing begins to pall after a while. I mean, once you’ve seen one sheep…

Or you can try “Noite Tranquile” a potion recommended by our language teacher. It’s a kind of herbal tea available in the local supermarket, but then, after a mug of that, you end up having to run to the toilet a couple of times. Or you can watch the shopping channel for a while, but you have to be pretty desperate to suffer endless demonstrations of contraptions that dry and iron your clothes at the same time.

Well I’ve a new one here that I discovered last night. It’s a kind of new take on praying through the night! Could’t sleep, so at 4am I plugged my ipod in and set it to “shuffle” tracks and just lay there in the dark, hoping I’d get back to sleep. I found that each track that played triggered a memory for me of people and places in a moment in time, and I just spent the time the track was playing praying for that. (**)

U2’s “One” came on, thoughts naturally turned to Ireland and friends in Clonmel, Tramore and Athy. Prayed for Primrose and Dan away from Kosova just now and spending time with friends and family.

Then came Nusrat Kateh Ali Khan’s “Night Songs”, and I was transported in spirit at once to Pakistan and to pray for that troubled nation at this crucial time.

Emiliana Torrini’s “If You go Away” took me somewhat randomly to Brussels and Judith’s tiny flat in Ixelles, and after which I crossed the channel to London with Hillsong’s “Consuming Fire” and praying for Sharon and her friends, Roh, Charlie, Ayesha and Khadra living for God and reflecting Jesus in the capital.

Robin Mark’s “I Stand amazed” and I was taken right over to 1^st Coleraine Presbyterian, just visualising church with Gordy and the group leading worship, before being whisked back to Lisbon and the Park of the Nations with Ana Moura’s “Sou do fado, sou fadista”

Finally Tim Hughes “Everything” from his new album “When Silence falls”, which is my song of the moment (*) and my prayers were for Colin in Southampton as he makes his way through life in 1^st year University

God in my living
God in my Breathing..

God in my hurting
God in my healing

Be my everything
Be my everything

Christ in me
Christ in me
Christ in me

the Hope of Glory Be my everything Be my everything

(*) http://www.wesleyowen.com/WesleyOwenSite/product/Music/SURCD5068.htm

(**) DISCLAIMER : The blogger is not meant to be recommending the above method as a standard practice for people wanting to improve their prayer life. On your knees with an open Bible is much better!!