Eight plus eight plus eight; that's twenty-four of course. We all have twenty-four hours a day at our disposal. Ideally, the average person, with a few exceptions, gets along quite well with eight hours of sleep, eight hours of work, and eight hours of play. Some can vary this a bit depending on their health and well-being, I believe. I also believe that, in general, Americans lack proper sleep habits.

We have all-night supermarkets, the World Wide Web, and a host of other things that keep us up when we really should be sleeping. Stress is a motivating factor directly related to sleep problems and the inability to enjoy life in whatever hand you may have been delt. Rest assured, we have all been endowed with some type of gift that we might use to battle against negativity. I do sympathize with those who have to work the night shifts, weekends, or holidays. I've known people who were forced into this unnatural state of affairs, and I tell you, I myself have been through it. Look at me now. No time clock to punch anymore. You will do well to know that this too shall pass.

We are creatures of habit, no doubt, and so we must look for profitable habits and edification. Where do we look? I suggest we look deep within ourselves. If you are sleep deprived, you will never be able to function properly. You will never be able to make a difference in your life or mine, your neighbor's, or spouse's life either.

It is expedient for us to avoid licentiousness, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, acrimony, envy, carousing and the like. We know that there are better things in this life than the aforementioned. Of course, we should never grow tired of doing well to others, for in time we shall surely reap good things for not only ourselves but others as well. Just live in gratitude, my reading friend, and you'll never ever be disappointed. That's a guarantee. Use your intuitive skills to achieve this paradise.

You know there is much infotainment available to us these days, but hardly any real knowledge or absolute truth anymore. But the truth can surely set you free, not to mention bringing about eight hours of needful sleep. You could be free to sleep, free to really enjoy the mystery of this life. Simon and Garfunkel were right on the mark in their song when they sang, "A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest." What might we disregard? Sound principles and doctrines, that's what. Is your to-do list getting the best of you, including taking away your needed sleep? Is it interfering with your ability to enjoy even the simplest things in your life? Tend to the one thing that is most needful, then the sacred Scriptures, which contain the answers to all mankind's problems will grant you inner peace. Tend to your summoning up the willpower to make time somehow for some quiet time in your busy schedule.

You know we live in a society that is like a sea of noise. Is it any wonder then why brokenness seems to take front stage? You can try to resist the vanity you see all around you, and then your adversary, the devil, will flee from you as from a fire. You know that Satan's devils become like dust when they face a person with modesty. Watch the back door, though; they'll try to get you to be prideful which is a negative for inner peace. Only humility can scourge those demons. C. S. Lewis wrote about these things in his book The Screw tape Letters. This writer also has written about these things in my book The Reprobate. You know we mortals have a tendency to avoid being by ourselves, just us and quiet prayer or meditation. Believe that you can experience true and lasting contentment, and suddenly you will see that you are already capable of achieving it.