the D-word

I hate the D-word. No it's not a 4-letter D-word (although I'm sure those aren't so good either), but a huge D-word. DISCIPLINE. Why is self-discipline so hard? I mean really. The fact that I am no good at self-discipline is not a new concept. Even in college, my girlfriends and I tried to challenge each other to be the "QUEEN OF DISCIPLINE" for a semester and hold each other accountable to our studies in a timely fashion. It lasted a little while, and then I fizzled out. I do that over and over again.

So now I am at this time in my life, I am really thinking it is about time I got a good handle on a few things. My devotion time, my finances, my health and body, my discipline/teaching of my children, my house routine (cleaning of), just to name a few. It is so hard to start a routine in several of these areas and keep up with it. I also know that many times you need to conquer one thing before you move on to the other, but I don't think so in this situation. It's like waiting to have a baby until you have enough money. It will never happen! We cannot afford to wait on taking care of our health/weight until we have all of our finances under control, yet it is hard to eat properly when all you can afford is boxed food. If we were to wait, we are hurting our chances of making progress in the other areas of needed discipline. Anyways, I am just babbling, but please pray that I can be pleased with the baby steps in several areas of my life, and not be discouraged. I, myself, would rather take giant leaps than have to take baby steps. But baby steps are good. Right?

My journal entry for the last 10 years (when I actually journal---which is very few and far between) goes something like this: Lord, forgive me for my lack of discipline. Please give me the discipline to...... I am taking hold of a verse this week and maybe you can too. Not that it is new to anyone, but just a powerful verse that I need to be reminded of. 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." Holy Spirit, may I rely on your power to help me endure temptations in my life and to give me the strength to continue in my quest of self-discipline. PLEASE & AMEN!