Routines.  There is comfort found in some routines in our lives.  Kids back to school.  Back to regular work hours.  Chores getting done.  Naptime!

Well, maybe not that last one.

Sometimes routines hold us back.  There is a saying that the seven last words of the church will be “We’ve never done it like that before!”  Routines can be a ball and chain around our ankle, pinning us to never move far from where we are.  Stuck in the mud, or in a rut, we have lots of ways to say it.

Not all routines stop us though.  Worshipping regularly, for example, can enliven us, feed us, make us more vibrant and connected to each other.  Taking care of yourself after an illness or just every day care is a good habit to be in!

Surprises can please and excite us, changing our days for the better! Helping another person, through words or deeds, can be powerful for both.  Even something little done for another can be amazing for them and leave us feeling fulfilled as well.

So get back into those healthy routines.  Ditch the ones in which you are stuck.  Then pick up some new habits, new graces that you can gift yourself and others with!  See where God is in each of those, and celebrate God’s gifts to you!