“Habit is habit, and not to be flung out the window…but coaxed downstairs a step at a time.” Mark TwainWhen I first began to exercise, I started and stopped many times. All sorts of things got in the way. Travel, injury, vacation, or just an early appointment were all reasons to skip nonessentials. But the flip-side is a challenge, too. It doesn’t have to be a vice to be a habit I want to give up. In my unwillingness to give it up I still struggle to find a way to retain it. But, when parts of my life are unmanageable due to something as frivolous as watching videos during the day, then I have a habit that needs to go.
The thought of giving up video watching during the day is like saying goodbye to an old friend. As much as I want to re-gain the time wasted, I still struggle to give it up. I’m learning the best way to overcome a bad habit is to only attempt to do it a day at a time. If I think I’ll never again watch a video during the day, the thought is overwhelming. ‘Always’ and ‘Never’ rarely work for me.
Do you have a habit that's running you, making your life less manageable? Are you wanting (but not yet really willing) to give up this habit? How will you begin to coax your habit downstairs “a step at a time”? Lord, thank You for Your help when I turn a habit over to You and see how You change my life as a result. Amen “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” I Corinthians 10:13
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“We do not see nature with our eyes, but with our understanding and our hearts.” William HazlittI’ve often seen birds take advantage of updrafts when birds fly in a V-formation, or even a car race where one car trails another to reduce drag and save gas…but a bird and a motorcycle?
My heart swelled with awe at this brief glimpse of kinship shared with this graceful raptor. Never before or since, have I experienced the joys of being one with nature as I did that day.
I get lazy and think it’s only through words that we communicate. But when I take the time to watch and listen, I’m discovering nature has a way of communicating with me...and not through words.
Do you find you fall back on word-based communication just because it’s easier? Have you noticed other methods of communication, especially in nature? How will you slow down—even for a few minutes today—to ‘stop and smell the roses’ so to speak? Lord, thank You for the incredible forms of nature all around me; forgive me for taking them for granted. Teach me to listen to nature and derive from it the blessings you intended. Amen “But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you…Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing…” Job 12:7-10 What are your thoughts? Libby Note: William Hazlitt (1778-1830), an English writer, drama and literary critic, painter, social commentator and philosopher. One of the greatest essayists in the English language, placed in the company of Samuel Johnson and George Orwell. During his lifetime he befriended other famous writers: Samuel Taylor Coleridge, William Wordsworth and John Keats. “Simplicity is the keynote to a good life.” Anonymous
I did put a few things back, but I also donated several things to a worthy ministry that helps the homeless furnish their homes when they find housing. Since then I’ve also gone through my shoes, board games, kitchen gadgets, extra afghans, and bathroom items we’re not using.
It feels good to be intentional about what's in our home. Simplified! Uncomplicated! Stress-less! Do you add an item to your knick-knacks, closets, or kitchen without much thought? Are you feeling you have a lot of ‘stuff’ in your home that you’re not using? What baby step can you take this week that will simplify your home and your life? Lord, help me de-clutter and simplify my life; I want to be more stress-less. Amen “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven…For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21 What are your thoughts? Libby “The maxim: ‘Nothing avails but perfection,’ may be spelled ‘Paralysis.’” Winston ChurchillWhen creating a communication intended for Americas-wide or worldwide audiences, I spent extra time ensuring my vocabulary was geared toward those whose English was their second or third language. My manager so appreciated my attention to detail, he asked that anyone in our group passed their memos and articles by me before sending to a worldwide audience. After an open conversation I learned she expected a balance between thorough and efficient. But, what I learned about myself was, I was uncomfortable when I practiced her definition of efficient—90% is good enough. I became aware that my comfort zone was closer to perfection than efficient. I adjusted my definition of ‘perfect’ by adding balance between timely and quality, and then I focused on practicing good judgment to find the appropriate balance for each communication. Although I’ve never actually reached perfection, by changing my definition of perfect to striking the right balance for each situation, I'm striving for a more reasonable goal.
“I do not regard myself as having mastered it yet, but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on…” Ephesians 3:13, 14a
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WelcomeI love the wisdom of the ages gleaned from relevant quotes. In them there is a connection to the human experience that crosses all borders. Join me as I relate my personal experiences, and link the wisdom of the quote to the Source of all wisdom: God's Word, the Bible. Enjoy, Libby Categories
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