Early to Bed? – -

All of us have heard Benjamin Franklins famous quote “early to bed and early to rise makes a man health wealthy and wise.” The older I get the more I understand this concept. My teenagers are the last ones to want to go to bed early, and if we would let them they would sleep-in until noon. Maybe that’s why they’re so poor and are always asking for money. Despite this habit they seem to be quite wise – at least they think they know everything- just ask them. Over the years we have tried to stay up until they come home from their nightly activities – this is most difficult on the weekend when their curfews are a little later. The older children correctly point out that the younger ones get away with murder compared to what they did. I think over time we understand a little more what are the important battle that need to be fought – and to not fight every battle like I use too. For the most part staying up late has been my job and I rather enjoy it. Maybe that’s why I’m so poor, but I don’t have anyone to ask for money. Lori doesn’t mind it either because she likes to know what they have been up too. But she’s not a late night person and finds it hard to stay up too long. Now I wish old Ben had said early to sleep not early to bed – if that was the case I might be a wealthy man. I like to sit up late reading or listening to music on the coach waiting for the kids; sometimes it’s just nice enjoying the silence. The older I get the more trouble I seem to have completing the task. I sit down with good intentions, next thing you know I’m sawing logs – or reading the inside of my eyelids. Occasionally when the kids get home they have a hard time waking me up. A few times I’ve woken up at two or three in the morning needing to go to bed, I don’t think this qualifies for the early to raise part of the equation. Neither does the fact I need to get up to go to the bathroom all the time. This doesn’t only happen just at night – we sit down to watch a movie or a T.V. program and next thing you know I need to push remind it to see what is going on. I’m sorry to admit it, it also happen at church, I’ve been told I’ve missed a couple of great sermons, but I’ve also been told I was the lucky one as I’ve missed out on a few travel logs or ramblings. At least I haven’t been like Eutyclus – the young man talked about in Acts chapter twenty, the Apostle Paul spoke so long he fell a sleep and fell from his third story perch to his death. Thankfully Paul had the authority or power to raise him from the dead. Oh well – these aren’t the things Ben was talking about. In my case I really do have a clearer mind and can get more done early in the morning. This is very obvious as well when I’m saying my prayers – during those late night prayers you'd think I’m reviewing my whole life only to relies it’s hard to sleep on your knees. Occasionally half way through I wonders what it is I’ve even said. But in the morning I seem to get a little more inspiration and direction – I can think out my choices and problems with a clearer mind and resolve. Benjamin Franklin was a brilliant writer, inventor and statesman – how can I argue with his experience of what part of the day is the most productive.