A few days back my sister Tracy and I were talking about routines and how we get so wrapped up in our daily doings that if anything happens to upset that routine then we just go nuts. This was definitely the case in my life. You folks out there that know me know that I am a creature of habit. I mean come on, I ate salmon and rice nearly everyday for lunch for 4 years. I’m just the kind of guy that if I find something that works I stick with it. Here’s a look at my life from May ’03 til April ’07.
9A – Wake up and eat breakfast
9:45 – Hit the gym
10:50 – Head home in time to watch “Young and the Restless.” Go ahead and laugh! I got hooked back in the summer of ’87 right before 6th grade. I never missed it. I taped it in junior high and highschool and I planned my college classes around it.
11:25 – start preparing my tasty fish and rice.
11:50 – eat lunch
Noon – shower and get ready for work
12:45 – Head to work. Now even though I worked as a TV sports anchor work was still for the most part very routine.
1:30 – 6P – Depending on where I was at in my television career, this time was usually filled with getting video and interviews, then some editing and prepping for the 5 and 6.
6:35 – Out the door for dinner with my work buddies.
8 – 10:30 – Put together my stuff for the 10 and then head home.
11:00 – 1A – Get home, shower, eat scoops of peanut butter for a snack and usually watch a movie or some TV and then to bed.
And so it went for 4 YEARS!
Here is just a little bit of what I wrote in my journal during that time.
I’m so bored. My life is so empty, it’s stale, very, very stale. My life is lifeless, uneventful and not fulfilled. There’s so much that needs to be done is this world. God give me the strength. I need more, not just strength, but more love, more willingness to help, give, teach, inspire, lead. This world is wrapping up! God get me in the good fight! I’m sick of the routine! I’m sick of the normal, it’s killing me. Break the chains God!”
Here’s the crazy thing, it took me three years to get to this point, but before that I would do ANYTHING to protect my routine. You see folks, for me, having a set routine was my way to CONTROL the environment around me. And I’ve since learned my control issues come from my lack of trust in God. It was my routine that gave me comfort, security, protection and peace. But I only received those things if my routine went as planned. Any disruption whatsoever caused me to flip out, thus losing my sense of peace, comfort, safety and security. I would do whatever it took to protect it – I was a slave to the routine. It was my god, my master.
“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – John 8:32
One of the big reasons I came on the world race was to have control stripped from me and my routine smashed. HA! That is definitely happening everyday. Let me tell ya, living in third world countries has taught me this – BE FLUID, NOT JUST FLEXIBLE, BECAUSE FLEXIBLE PEOPLE STILL BREAK. Folks, NOTHING is consistent in third world countries! No one is EVER on time! You go to a restaurant and it NEVER fails they’re out of whatever it is you wanted! The 20 plus people you live with always keep things different. It is nearly impossible to find any routine. Which is what I asked for! Now I have to find my comfort, peace and security elsewhere. I’m forced to go to God for those things, because ain’t no way you can get into a routine out here.
So as I watch my sister wake up to the slavery of her routine I’m encouraged because I know it’s only God that can give her this revelation.
Tracy, rejoice, because the Lord is speaking to you! Now as to what’s next? I have no clue. Not everyone needs to be fired or quit their job and join the world race. There is another way. And that only way is thru Jesus. Tracy, you’re new life is hidden in Christ. So the only way to take hold of that new life is to pursue Jesus. How does that look for you? You got to figure that out sweetie. But a great place to start is in the Word. Take some time to pray and ask God to reveal more to you. He will – in HIS time!
I love you and I’m praying for you always! Oh by the way, 100 days to go so I’ll see you soon:)
