Monday morning- wake up, bounce on bed to jump out, walk to bathroom, get in shower, sing while washing to wake up, dry off, get dressed, brush teeth, grab food, leave for work.
Wednesday morning- wake up, bounce on bed to jump out, walk to bathroom, get in shower, sing while washing to wake up, dry off, get dressed, brush teeth, grab food, leave for work.
Thursday morning- wake up, bounce on bed to jump out, walk to bathroom, get in shower, sing while washing to wake up, dry off, get dressed, brush teeth with lotion, grab food, leave for work.
Friday morning- yet to come...
Ahh the monotony of the morning- you remember those routines we talked about? Well this is one that everyone seems to be guilty of. But why? Well for one, they work- it's comforting, it keeps our not yet fully-functioning brain moving in the right direction, and it gives a schedule to keep ourselves focused on.
Now like the majority of the population, we all tend to have a morning routine, and we all tend to passively glimpse over repeating material.
You may have caught it, but I'm sure some didn't; there was something wrong with that account of my week. "He didn't state putting on deodorant."- true, but I guess I assumed that to be implied. No, look a little closer. There in the midst of my regular Thursday routine is hidden a trifle of oddity- brush teeth with body lotion.
Yes it's true, and let me be completely honest when I say that something like that will instantly jolt you from a mindless morning routine. In the process of washing my toothbrush off, I found myself laughing pretty heartily at this disgusting, yet enlivening wake up call. "What in the world would cause me to do that?" I thought.
I'm not sure if you'd agree, but I've always believed that God has an amazing sense of humor. I find it hard to believe that someone who created lemmings, the platypus, or gave my brother, a 300 pound guy, a fear of small things like spiders, didn't do it for an occasional laugh. So if you don't see humor in God, disregard this comment, but I truly believe my Aloe Vera brushing experience was from none other than Abba Himself. Was it just for a good laugh? Possibly. But I got much more from it.
Routine has really been something laden on my heart recently. Religion can create confines that we fail to realize are not making us stronger, but are only preventing us from going beyond our spiritual surface. Following the rules and laws can make our yokes heavier than we could possibly imagine, and it's only through the freedom of Jesus' love that we can overcome that burden and prevail. But is God calling us to leave the routines in the rest of our lives? You tell me.
"Carpe diem", seize the day, has been a saying of adventurous lifestyle for thousands of years. Existentialism brought about the wonderful idea of questioning and challenging ourselves- are we who we want to be, are we doing enough, or are we stuck in our tracks simply going through the drones of life? Jon Foreman of Switchfoot once said, "I dare you to move", a challenge we all sometimes need to get away from the repitition life can bring and actually get up and LIVE. Are routines bad spiritually? Absolutely- they confine, constrict, and constrain any opportunities of growth we may have. So why should that be any different when dealing with the rest of our lives?
One of my favorite radio morning shows is run by two guys who are experts at breaking from routine. Though sometimes perverse, and occasionally distasteful, they never have issues finding new adventures or ways to entertain. FM99's Tommy and Rumble (if you're not from the Tidewater area and visit, tune in) are some of the most spontaneous and intriguing people I've ever heard. There has not been a single time I've listened that I haven't been content, and it's because there is no routine. One day they'll be set up with a stand where you can drop your pants and show your underwear to win prizes, and the next they'll have a lemonade stand to raise money for the local food bank. Awesome.
It's an extreme example I know, but shouldn't our lives be an extreme thing? They are short-lived gifts from God made to be enjoyed. Too often we let ourselves get bogged down by what our lives throw at us- we get stuck. And the only way to break free is to get out of routine. Do something unusual like go for a bike ride, buy a pair of shoes, drive somewhere new, or even scream at the top of your lungs. Or maybe it needs to be something as drastic as selling a car to buy a new one, moving, or leaving a job (though I disclaim myself from being used as a reference).
God will call us to do some things that we often find strange, whether spiritually or physically, and many times it's to free us from our routines. We get comfortable, and comfort leads to lack of growth in spirit as well as in life. Just like in spirit, routine in life can create a shallow security that prevents us from going any deeper than the surface.
Our lives are vast things- capable of experiencing and taking in knowledge, surroundings, and emotions. They're gifts, given to be lived to the fullest, free of routine. Sometimes we just need a wake up call, reminding us to not be afraid of occasionally brushing with lotion.
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