3:00 AM Busy Brain

This happens. I wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep. Ever happen to you? I don't panic. I tell myself, God wants me awake for a reason. Do you want me to pray, Lord? What about? Just praise you? Think about stuff?

Oh, here we go. The STUFF. At my house we call it "busy brain." I know it's just a matter of time before the unfortunate syndrome of Busy Brain (or "BB" as it's sometimes referred to) is featured on "Sixty Minutes." Or maybe SNL.

It comes in waves. I'm hungry. Ideas for the next blog entry. Ideas for the office Christmas party on Friday (I'm in charge of the games. I volunteered. If you know me at all, you know how out of character that is!) I'm hungry. I should let the puppy in. She's currently trying to open the back door. I hear her jabbing at the knob with her snout. But that would disturb the cat who's condescended to spend a rare night curled up at the foot of the bed, where I currently am writing this on my laptop. The cat on the bed is one of my best sleep aids.

Maybe I should read the Bible. I'm hungry. I wonder what time it is. Holy smoke, it's LATE!

Maybe I should post to my blog about Busy Brain. I don't know. I might wake up Michael at this ungodly hour. How can it be an "ungodly hour" when it's a godly hour somewhere else in the world. Where? Where IS it a godly hour right now?

Michael is snoring to my left. Another dog is snoring to my right. Do I snore? I'm hungry.

What if the ladies at the cookie exchange I'm going to tomorrow night -- check that, TONIGHT -- hate me for bringing Save Mart bakery baked cookies? Or worse, shower me with recipes? And how is it I agreed to go to a cookie exchange, anyway? At an Italian restaurant?

I think the dog's trying to use a tooth as a lock pick. Probably her canine. Is that funny or am I just too tired to know it's not? (Don't answer that.)

Maybe I should take something to help me sleep? No, maybe God wants me awake. Maybe I should have a little wine. That's natural. No, I'd probably smell like a wino tomorrow -- check that -- later this morning.

What do I have to do before Christmas? What DON'T I have to do? I'm hungry. Maybe I should have some milk and cookies. Maybe I should figure out a way to wrap this up before my battery runs out. I wish I had a battery that would run out.

And so it continues. I think I'll get up, have a bite to eat, a little juice, read the Bible and try to find out why I'm awake. I'll let you know if anything profound comes to light. Thanks for listening. Or rather reading. At such a godly hour. I'm jealous!