Routine
Judy
and I are “sheltered in place” for two
weeks. Not that we don’t get out for a walk around the neighborhood or a
leisurely drive through town with the windows rolled up. Our kids have been a
great help. They make sure we are well stocked with the essentials of groceries
and wine. I just received a double shipment of Gummy Bears. Life in confinement
doesn’t get any better.
On
a more serious note, it has been my experience that in times of trouble,
anxiety or fear, routine is a friend. Years ago, when I had a nervous
breakdown and in subsequent seasons of stress and uncertainty, routine
kept me alive. Being the type A personality, mopping around with no focus is a
real killer.
Routine
is
the repetitive activity that gives purpose to the day. In the past we called it
chores; those things that needed to be done in order to maintain mental health
and a clutter free life. The discipline that doesn’t allow life to slip through
the cracks. For some, routine is a dirty word that speaks boring, tiresome,
monotony and unexciting. For me it’s sanity.
Interestingly,
the word routine comes from the French meaning “a travelled way.” A well
worn path of getting up and going to bed at a set time, Bible reading and prayer, household duties, staying
in touch with family and friends, a long walk with the dog, a nap, reading a
book, watching Amazon Prime with Judy, and eating healthy are components of my daily
routine. Opps! I forgot the glass of wine.
Here
is an encouragement from God’s Word:
“Exercise
daily in God: no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gym are useful,
but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and
forever. You can count on this. Take it to heart.”
Now
back to those Gummy Bears.
