Discipline

Blogging is so daunting for me! I need to get into a regular habit, but I don't really have ANY regular habits these days! I'd feel bad if blogging won out over habitually keeping the house clean or habitually waking up every day at six!

And thus the title of this blog.

Discipline.

I need it. I want it. I've always had a glimmer of it, but only JUUUUUSSSSTTT enough to get me by. And that JUUUUUUSSSSSTTTT got me by as a single woman...doesn't quite cut it for marriage. (I'm making a list for me right now, so feel free to skip it.)

~Erik is trying to get our lawncare business off the ground.
~I haven't finished my wedding thank-you's. (Krista, you're the only reason I've done any!)
~We're planning to move into a different apartment in six weeks and have to have everything sorted, packed, and cleaned.
~I NEED consistent, daily, structured quality time with Jesus every day. Preferably mornings.
~I NEED to work out at least five days a week in order to sleep better at night and just feel better over all!
~I'd love to write more worship songs. Erik would love to do this with me.
~We operate best on a day by day meal plan that I prepare once a week and shop for once a week. This way Erik gets to eat real meals, and I feel like I'm taking care of our nutrition needs to some extent. I think this has successfully happened three times.
~We are meeting three out of four Thursday nights per month to plan and practice for Overflow.
~Erik is hoping to have his hours at the church increased, which means our schedule will become MORE busy and I'll likely help him lead worship for the kiddos, in addition to whenever we're asked to lead Sunday mornings for the big kiddos.
~There are at least thirty people in Topeka that I want to spend time with more frequently than once every six months. Right now, most friends are on a loose sort of rotation, and I end up feeling guilty for hanging out with the same person two nights in a row. (Not counting Erik!)
~My parents are renovating their house, and Erik and I have committed to helping them as much as possible through the process.

Okay, I'm tired of the list. My point is, I have a lot of things and people in my life that are vying for my time, and I need all the discipline I can get to even BEGIN to tackle this list. I truly believe that God has given me all of the time I need to do the things HE wants me to do. That means some of the things on this list are either going to have to go, or they all stay and I develop some structure, planning, and scheduling into my life...and then stick to it! That last sentence hurt even to type!

Where do I begin?

Proverbs 31:10-30 As it applies to me.
10-Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is worth more than precious rubies.

11-Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. (Love this!)

12-She will not hinder him but help him all her life. (Let it be so!)

13-She finds wool and flax and busily spins it. (I put flax seed in my bread. Does that count?)
14-She is like a merchant's ship; she brings her food from afar. (I'm not sure exactly what this means, but I picture her buying in bulk. :) Any other ideas?)

15-She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day's work for her servant girls. (Why she's making breakfast before dawn when she has servant girls is beyond me! But, in all seriousness, I can't imagine how much more I could accomplish if I got up a couple of hours early every day!)

16-She goes out to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings she plants a vineyard. (Business savvy! Erik and I have been talking about me doing some massage on the side or baking for the coffee shop to earn some extra cash. I love that the virtuous and capable wife doesn't go shopping with her money she earns. She invests it! I also don't love that because I like shopping.)

17-She is energetic and strong, a hard worker. (I HAVE to eat right and exercise regularly in order to be energetic and strong. It's difficult to exercise after a day of walking 5-8 miles delivering coffee...but I really have to!)

18-She watches for bargains; her lights burn late into the night. (Bargain shopper! Guess I'll have to try Aldi again. I'm confused about the second part since Psalm 127:2 calls it vanity to rise early and stay up late! He gives His beloved sleep...but how much? Insights anyone? I don't have a commentary in front of me!)

19-Her hands are busy spinning thread, her fingers twisting fiber. (This reminds me of Joie's blog about making the diaper covers and doll tights! I'm not there yet. I think the point is, she's working to provide what is needed for her household when it can't be bought or doesn't have to be bought!)

20-She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy. (This hits me where it counts. I want to be generous, focused on the poor and needy, and hospitable to anyone, whether friend, family, or stranger. I can't do this WELL when my house is not in order, sufficient food for meals is not in the cabinets, and I'm too frazzled from lack of order to be able to look around me to see the people God wants me to see. I realize my house and food don't have be in perfect order in order to be hospitable, but I want to do it WELL!)

That's probably already too much for me to digest in one night, so I'll leave it at verse 20. Funny how many times I've read this chapter, and either not applied it... or not applied much of it for long! It really is a step by step guide, though, when we plug our individual, unique lives into the chapter, verse by verse! May we all be virtuous and capable women, married or single! (For any men reading, disregard that last sentence.)

Time for bed. My servant girls have the day off tomorrow!