Pick a Habit

 "The truth seems to be, however, that, when he casts his leaves forth upon the wind, the author addresses, not the many who will fling aside his volume, or never take it up, but the few who will understand him, better than most of his schoolmates and lifemates." Nathaniel Hawthorne

In one (of the many) podcasts I listen to, the church has began this multi day challenge of creating a new habit. The idea being the habits you have create and define the life you choose. "Show me your habits and I'll show you your future."

Day 1 (which I listened to a week ago now) challenged me to pick a habit to focus on. It listed a wide variety of options - reading a daily devotional, writing in a gratitude journal, walking a mile, etc. It asserts that the habit you pick up must be measurable, meaningful and maintainable.

As with many things, I've spent FAR greater time over thinking the habit choice than needed I'm sure.

I've been thinking on this over the last week as my Xman and I also walked through the Introduction of The Scarlet Letter. This is now the third time I've read The Scarlet Letter. Much like many of the classics that I've gone through as my own children do, I've learned things that high school me did not appreciate or pay attention to.

In pieces of the Introduction, Nathaniel Hawthorne shares a little bit about himself as a writer. As I was drawn to those pieces of the Introduction in this reading, I could hear him talk about connections, time, and the right story finding you.

As I've been thinking about my "pick a habit" I kept circling back to this idea of connecting with the few that will understand you.

The urge to put pen to paper out of habit.

Much like many habits I could choose, putting pen to paper for me is very emotionally, mentally and spiritually necessary. It's how I process the details of my days - I write them down, I reflect on them, I attempt to find my God wink moments.

It took me a while to pick a habit to work on because there are far too many things that would be GOOD for me.

But only this one thing, upon really thinking on it, that would be BEST.

Mama Warriors isn't that true of most of our life? There are many GOOD choices out there - but limited ones that are the BEST for us in this season, at this time.

I smell fall in the area tonight (thank you Jesus because summer and I are LONG done).

New is coming.

Maybe it's time for you, too, to pick a habit and set a goal.

Measurable, meaningful and maintainable.