Habits

It's been a while since I've posted anything. The beginning of a semester is always a hectic time for people who work in schools. And it is amazing to me how quickly I always fall into bad habits when I am on a break from school. For example, going to sleep on time. I have to wake up by 5:30, at the latest to get to work in the morning. And I need a lot of sleep, so that means an early bed time for me. But during school breaks, I quickly fall into the "staying up late, sleeping in late" routine. And I rationalize it. It's not that big of a deal. I'll just go to bed on time a night or two before school starts. I deserve to have fun once in a while. Rationalization aside, every year I find myself back at work after a break, exhausted cause I couldn't fall asleep early because I'd gotten into the bad habit of staying up late.

"Bad habits are like a comfortable bed, easy to get into, but hard to get out of." Not getting enough sleep is a fairly innocent example, but there are many bad habits we fall into quickly that are not so innocent. Ultimately, our habits define us. Stephen Covey says, "Our character is basically a composite of our habits. Because they are consistent, often unconscious patterns, they constantly, daily, express our character". Whoa. My habits express my character. I don't like many of my habits. They are ugly. They are lazy. They are self-centered. They are not things that glorify Him, or actions that would allow others to see Him in my life.

So, as Horace Mann says, "Habit is a cable; we weave a thread each day, and at last we cannot break it." One thread at a time. One day at a time. One prayer at a time.

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Mathew 5:16