Impulse Control and Insomnia

Face of Great Horned Owl

Ok. i admit. I knew that jet lag would be a problem.  I’ve only been coming over here 1-3 times each year for…well…next year will make 20 years!  I knew better.

But the pizza that Sarah made tonight at Reijo and Hanna’s was so good and the 2 litre bottle of Coke was calling my name.  It hadn’t had time to go flat yet.  It was only opened this evening; nice and bubbly.

Now I look at the clock and it is 1:36 a.m. and I am not in the least bit sleepy.  i probably shouldn’t have had the can of Coke at the Bible study earlier in the evening, either.

Like Harry Callahan said, “A man has got to know his limitations.”

It seems to me that I have been doing a lot more of that lately: i.e., getting better acquainted with my own limitations.  In a few months I will be 56 years old and I still struggle with that extra helping, just a minute more, one more thing to do and, tonight, one more glass of Coke.

Impulse control.

Paul said it well in Romans 7:14-25 when he talked about the person who knows what is right to do and he even wants to do it.  However, when it comes down to it, he ends up not doing what he knows is right to do.  Conversely, he also describes the person who knows what not to do but, in the end, winds up doing it after all.

It’s no surprise that one of the gifts of the spirit is self control. (Galatians 5:22-24) because this is a mark of someone who has brought his or her body under subjection, refusing to give in to impulses to overindulge.

Perhaps my focus of attention needs to emphasize this fruit of the Spirit’s work in my life rather than the symptoms of someone who has some spiritual work to do.  In other words, rather than focusing on the symptom of my problems like weight control, being on time and trying to do too much I would profit more from focusing upon disciplining my urges and growing up spiritually….?

Naw…maybe I’ll start tomorrow.  Right now I need to get some sleep!

By the way, I think I’ll put another piece of pizza in the microwave.

Warm pizza helps you sleep better, you know….

 

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