Default

 "Education is what you you learn and know - things you are taught. Formation is what you practice and do - things that are caught. The most important things in life, of course, are caught, not taught, and formation is largely about all the unseen habits."........."Worship is formation, and formation is worship."

The sermon series at church currently is on routines.

The stack of books I requested a month ago, that just came in, are all on habits and decision making.

It seems now is the time for me to work on the daily habits that make a life.

And habits are mostly choices you make without thinking.

They are the defaults.

I used to start my day by grabbing my kindle and scrolling through social media while my eyes adjusted to the light of the screen.

By the time I finished checking all the things (email, messages, social media) and got moving, it was nearly time that Peanut would be up.

I had lost all the quiet time in my house.

As I've been reading about how routines, habits and decisions make a life, I've consciously chosen to start my day by putting my feet on the ground immediately upon waking.

I listen to any video messages I've received while I get dressed, make my bed, gather the laundry.

I greet my VERY excited to see me puppy, we do our morning routine together. We start laundry, we unload the dishwasher, we make tea, he has breakfast. By the time Peanut wakes up, I've had time to wake up, get our house "awake" and I can greet her with breakfast and bible time.

All change inspired by a question one of my books asked me.

"Do I hold a value that informs this decision?"

I've now put the decisions of my day, big and small, through that one simple question.

I value connection. I value my friends feeling heard and seen. Listening to their video messages, and returning them, gives me the opportunity to pray for them, share in their daily struggles, and process my own.

Scrolling social media does not give me true connection. Do I enjoy it? Yes. I love the pictures of your cute kids and dogs. The yummy things you make. Is there a space in my day for that? Usually. But not in that precious first hour of the day.

Sunday I woke up feeling tired and worn. We were up late Saturday night waiting for one of our teens to come home. I hadn't slept well.

I devoted time that morning to debating attending or skipping church.

"Do I hold a value that informs this decision?"

Yes I do. I value time spent in worship. While I have benefited from a season of worshipping at home, I am currently in a season where I need the quiet from the active house and I need the time spent with my palms up.

There will always be valid excuses I could come up with for making these small decisions each day.

But If I challenge myself to hold each decision, big or small, against the question "Do I hold a value that informs this decision?" - it's really hard to say my value is laying in bed scrolling facebook or drinking coffee in my pjs at home.

The nice thing about these new habits is they also fall under the rule "make a decision ONCE."

In the morning, I get moving.

On Sunday mornings, I attend church.

I don't make those decisions day by day anymore, they are the default.

Mama Warriors, are the defaults in your life representative of the values you hold?

We have breakfast for dinner every Sunday night. It's the default. I don't think about what's for dinner, I don't worry about what to make. It's one less decision.

Each "one less decision" gives your brain space to rest from decision over load. It makes you better equipped to make the decisions that are important. That need mental space and time to process.

What in your life can you put on default?