Waking Routines: What's Yours?
A good man, a downright prince of a gentleman I’m pleased to call uncle, makes his home in South Louisiana, the state where angels and saints take up residence. He’s a man of definitive tastes: an andouille connoisseur; an unabashed Tiger fan; a weekend boat captain who knows his way around the South Louisiana marsh maze. He’s holy-ish, makes his way to the church house on Sundays, says his prayers, reads his scriptures, and keeps the Lord’s name out of his swears. He visits his inlaws without complaining, would give his spleen for his kids, and tells you what you oughta do, but only when you ask. My uncle is one of the best men I know.
This morning he sent me a brief text, which included a photo of a 3x5 card. On the card, he’d written his morning routine, a step-by-step rule of life governing his morning. First on that list: Coffee. (Perhaps coffee runs through the family veins.) Next: Scriptures, prayer, water, yada yada yada. The card concluded with “Tell my wife I love her.”
This is where all the ladies say, “ahhh… how sweet.”
The text was a response to yesterday’s post, and below the photo he wrote, “I put water first thing this morning.” It was a simple sentence, but it served as a reminder that routines are meant to be adjusted. Modified. Made better. Routines are rituals meant to direct us to do things in their proper order, the order that makes them most sustainable for us. And there’s no routine more important than the waking routine. As it goes, so goes the rest of your day.
My uncle has a morning routine that works for him, that sets his day off right. So do I. Have you taken the time to examine yours?
***A Routine Suggestion***
I’d like to invite you to begin your morning routine with a glass of water and my newest book, The Book of Waking Up: Experiencing the Divine Love that Reorders a Life. Grab a copy at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookish (my favorite indie bookseller), then set your mind to learning how to live a life of true, inner-sobriety.