We are now in the second week of September. School has started. (Thankfully, I am not directly impacted by that fact. My grandchildren's school attendance affects the children, and I love to hear about school, but that is a whole different world.) People are back from vacation. There are still extra activities to attend to, like Man Camp this weekend and one last mud run possible. But, by and large, things have returned to a more predictable schedule and pace. I was counting up the number of days I have missed going to the gym and how little skydiving I have done the past couple of months. I really need to get back to my routine.
I used to think I was a rather spontaneous person. I prided myself on not having too firm a schedule, that I had the chance to adjust freely as the situation dicated. And I suppose I am still like that some. Yet, as I have gotten older and come to appreciate and value those set moments in my life. I love the sound of my reminder each morning, reminding me that it is time for kettlebells, or step class. Usually I am on the road, headed that way, but just the reminder is comforting and reassuring. When I don't 'schedule' something, I am likely not to do it. I schedule sermon writing for Thursday morning. I have Bible study on Wednesday. Corporate worship is on Sunday morning. I try to eat breakfast every morning at 7:15. When I was in graduate school, I sat down at the beginning of every semester and figured out exactly what pages I would read on what day, when I would research and write papers, when sermons were due, work days, etc. I had to or I wouldn't be done when papers were due and grades were given.
Having routine in our lives helps us get things done, and keeps us on track. In our spiritual walks, the same holds true. We are called to be people of prayer. We are commanded to be people of compassion and love. We are people of the book. Too often, we think we will get around to it, someday. I would suggest that these are some of the most important things we should be doing, and they should be some of the first things put on our schedules each day. Finding our way by finding our routine. That might just work.