When Mac and Gwen were babies, I used to lay them down for a nap and when they woke up and I picked them up, I would tell them they grew during their nap! Since these two amazing little humans have been born, they have grown quickly. I think they do most of their growing Saturday nights into Sunday mornings. Why do I think that you say? Well, because Sunday morning comes and the clothes and shoes that fit them just the night before, no longer fit! So, it is off to the store we go. Undoubtedly clothes and shoes fit best with just a little wiggle-room. A little extra space and time also serves us well when we are following our routine. Remember, our routine is meant to help us maximize the time we have in our day, it is not meant to hinder our day in any way. Be sure to make sure that your routine has some flexibility or a little wiggle-room - you will find that it fits better and is much more comfortable. It’s basically the difference between a scratchy sweater and a cashmere sweater. Both serve the same purpose; however, one is much more pleasant to wear than the other.
Read: Luke 10:38-42
Consider: As James 4:14 states, life is short. We have one opportunity to live but many choices by which to live this one beautiful life we have been gifted. Don’t get hung up on sticking to your routine, allow for some flexibility so that when you are in Martha’s role, like we see in Luke 10:38-42, you have time to just sit and talk with Jesus. It is important to not allow your routine to run you, but for you to take charge of your time. It’s the difference between existing and living. Like watching an adventure unfold or being an active part of that journey! You don’t have to imagine what the wind feels like in your hair, you just have to roll down the window. Real quick, sometimes we think that if we can’t have the most perfect or expensive experience then it isn’t worth doing. If you think this way, you are selling yourself short and missing out on a lot that life has to offer. Because, hello love, life isn’t perfect. It’s messy. And there is so much learning and growing to be done in that mess.
Leaving some wiggle-room in your day allows for you to lean into living. It gives you that room to learn, grow, and mature. I, for one, never want to stop learning and growing. What a dull life it would be to have no wiggle-room left! While our routines may sometimes change, we can always count on our Heavenly Father remaining the same. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” One more reminder about our routine, there are some things in our routine that we should NOT change, and that is spending time with our God. Joyce Meyer once shared these wise words, “Spending time with God is the key to our strength and success in all areas of life. Be sure that you never try to work God into your schedule, but always work your schedule around Him.” In Mark 1:35-37, we see that Jesus made spending time with His Father a priority. He met with God routinely. When others look for you, where do they find you? In the midst of my routine, I hope to be found communing with my Savior.
To-Do: How do you keep your routine fresh? What part of your life do you need to turn off the “auto-pilot” switch?
