The power of routine

We have a routine in the morning at our place.  I'm up first, headed to exercise with a friend at the YMCA or walk the dog.  I get back, take some time to pray and read the Bible.  Down comes son #1, ready to watch the Weather Channel (shout out to Stephanie Abrams, Mike Bettes, and Jen Carfagno - and hello to our boy Adam Berg).  Mom's up.  Breakfast.  Daughter wakes up.  Shower.  Flip over to the Disney Channel.  Son #2 wakes up.  Lunches made.  Clothes ironed.  Out the door for school.

That's our routine.  Call us tomorrow at 7:00 am, you'll find us right in the middle of it.  Call us next Tuesday at 7:00 am, you'll find we're basically in the same place.  Summer changes some of it, but for the most part we still get up early and get our day started.  Routine.

There's a lot of power in that.  I know where I need to be and where we need to be at what times in order to hit the goal.  My kids know, too.  It's not that we always hit it, but we know.

That's also the power of practicing spiritual disciplines.  They build into us a kind of routine that trains us to expect things.  We train our bodies to expect discipline through fastingand not get everything it desires.  We train our minds to concentrate on important, eternal things through prayer.  We train our wills that it's better to bless others through serving than live entitled.

Routine.

I'm as spontaneous as they come.  I'd fly to Australia for the weekend just because it's there.  But I also know that there's power in routine, in disciplining myself for the purpose of godliness (1 Tim. 4.7).  There's power in the routine.  I just have to employ it.

But that's just me thinking thoughts...