Start the day with S.I.P.

Let me clarify. By S.I.P., I do not mean hauling out some booze to help start the day. However, there are days when it does seem like that would be a valid way to work out some issues.

I was thinking of this recently. The days that I do not just jump right out of bed to start dealing with the day? My day goes better. If I take just 5 - 10 minutes to ease my way into the day? I'm guessing it doesn't change the things that will happen during the day, but it does help me in dealing with it.

I was kind of doing each thing individually. Not really naming it or anything, but those little phrases that remind you of other things make it easier to remember. (Lesson for the day, who knew? I thought it started with a "p":
mnemonic - something intended to assist the memory, as a verse or formula.)

SO: *S - Stretch *I - Inspiration *P - Pray

Stretch - Technically, you don't even have to get out of bed. Just stay there for a few minutes. Reaching up and out. Pulling your legs toward your chest. Whatever feels good. Think about it. Once we get up and on the move those muscles remain cramped especially if you do not have a physical job. We jump into our cars, hunch over the steering wheel to rush into an office where we sit in a chair probably on a computer for way too long. Trying to remember good posture.

Inspiration  - Can be combined with stretch if you pick music or listening to a devotional, etc. My phone has some music selections that I find inspirational. This has been one of my nicest things to do with my "smart" phone. I can download a short devotional or song and play it back whenever. Some of them have become my ring tone and bring me some peace during the day.

Pray -  Something else that can be done while doing something else. However, finding SOME focused time during the day when you can do more than just sentence prayers can really help put things in perspective. If you drive to work, try leaving the radio off. At first, it seems kind of awkward. When you get really into it, you might start talking out loud to God just like you would to a good friend. It may look odd to passersby, but face it there are worse things you could get caught doing in your car! ;)

I think my biggest insight into all of this though is it takes being intentional. I know all these things in my head. Exercise even a bit is better than not doing any. Finding some inspiration can be beneficial for me and for others to encourage them on their walk. Prayer can take care of a lot of the worries that don't ever happen. The "if" factor.

Life - Prepare by taking a S.I.P. than diving in!

Psalm 3:4-6 (MSG)
3-4 But you, God, shield me on all sides;
You ground my feet, you lift my head high;
With all my might I shout up to God,
His answers thunder from the holy mountain.
5-6 I stretch myself out. I sleep.
Then I’m up again—rested, tall and steady,
Fearless before the enemy mobs
Coming at me from all sides.

 

2 Timothy 3:16 (MSG)
There's nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.

 

2 Timothy 2:22 (MSG)
22-26 Run away from infantile indulgence. Run after mature righteousness—faith, love, peace—joining those who are in honest and serious prayer before God. Refuse to get involved in inane discussions; they always end up in fights. God’s servant must not be argumentative, but a gentle listener and a teacher who keeps cool, working firmly but patiently with those who refuse to obey. You never know how or when God might sober them up with a change of heart and a turning to the truth, enabling them to escape the Devil’s trap, where they are caught and held captive, forced to run his errands.

Do It....Yourself.....

I seem to be on a roll with "do it" ( Just Do It and Don't Do It ), so I will finish up with this. I have been thinking about this for awhile....and debating on the best way to write it. So I will make a humble attempt.

At first glance, telling someone to "do it yourself" can seem rude. Of course, there are circumstances when someone can't do it themselves. That's not the kind of do it yourself I'm talking about.

Love and Logic * has a parenting style referred to as a "helicopter". This parent hovers around waiting for their child to need something and rescues them when necessary. I hate to admit it, but I am usually a helicopter. As our kids get older, this is less and less "helpful" to them...and it has not been all that helpful for me either. There are times when I have made our kids feel like they can't do it on their own. There are times when I do something I know they should be doing themselves because, at the time, it seems easier. This will not help them as they venture daily out into the "real world". It has taken me TOO long to realize this.

One of the goals is to let them learn to have little failures when the price is still small. Our society in general, especially lately it seems, is to have as much as possible to be win/win. Unfortunately, in real life not everybody does win every time. If we constantly shield our kids from having to deal with the tough stuff, the world will beat them up when they're on their own with no buffer....or helicopter waiting to swoop in and fix it. The more I think about it the better it is to let them do it themselves while they are still in the boundaries of our homes.

One of my goals is to stop hovering and to step back and let our kids learn that they CAN do it themselves. If there is something they need to learn to be able to do it on their own, it is my responsibility to help them learn it so they are ready to do it themselves.

However, sometimes I wait around waiting for someone else to take care of something that I COULD easily do myself. Then I usually get a small (or not so small!) nudge to remind me I should do it myself and quit waiting!

There is a silver lining to this cloud of change for me. Even when I do it myself, I am not alone. God provides insight, information, other people and parents that cross my path to let me know that doing it yourself does not necessarily mean by yourself.

2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

*The Love and Logic website has a lot of good information and some free resources for parents and teachers. Love and Logic uses consequences of decisions as part of parenting. It is definitely worth checking out.