Big Difference.

I heard my superstar say this to the girls this week: "Discipline sounds like something that is bad, right? But really, it isn't. It means to push yourself to doing something. Like journalling, reading your bible, spending time with God. That is a spiritual discipline. See how that isn't a bad thing?" For nearly four years now (you can get the full story if you look back to 2007 postings), I have certainly elevated my game in the area of spiritual disciplines. Reading the bible more than I ever did before, truly engaging with what God's desire is for my life, not just when it is convenient, trying to spend time being still and listening to what God has to say to me, and one thing I never really understood why superstar did it - journalling. I really started engaging in my morning "Java with Jesus" when I began to work for my company in the D. I would get up early to drive down Alter Road to the little park where the lake turns into the D river. I spent nearly every morning there for the school year - reading at least three chapters of something (sometimes 3 OT, 3 NT), and then taking the time to "Be Still and Listen" and write what I thought the Holy Spirit was telling me. I learned so many things through that time, wherever I took it. That time was perhaps more valuable than anything else I have ever done in my life. And I have worked to continue this discipline since we moved. But as of late, I have gotten out of this practice. Work is challenging, and life is challenging, and I didn't really make excuses for not doing it, I just kind of let it fall out of my daily routine. I kept telling myself I needed to do it. Carried my journal around with me daily for many many days and never opened it. But this week after superstar's comment, I made the time. And I am saying to myself - BOY are you STUPID for not doing this every day. Because how are we to hear God's voice if we don't take the time to listen? How are we to know what He wants to pour into our lives if we don't spend time with Him? This in combination with reading the bible daily is the spiritual equivalent of a nutritional plan including exercise that maintains the physical body I have. If you look at a picture of this body from 5 years ago, you will know that I wasn't paying attention to that plan that I try to stick to these days. Big difference. When I stick to the discipline of spending time in the word, and journalling my thoughts and His = Big difference. I am so ever thankful that I get to live in a country where I am free to do that, and I pray that I stay disciplined in this habit. I pray that others might see the value and spend time each day reading the bible and spending time with Him who loves us so much, he paid the price for our sins. I thank God for the beauty that surrounds me each day as part of his plan to bless our lives, and I pray for each person on my prayer list - that God would bless them today and always. Amen.