This morning I was reminded how important it is to have a routine. When I rely on inspiration to get things done, nothing gets done. When I follow a set routine, I’m a champ. Maybe some people are disciplined enough to do what needs to be done without a routine, but my fallen nature makes it very easy to fall back asleep and very hard to do the opposite. 

I’ve labeled the alarm on my phone, “Serviam” as a reminder that, unlike Lucifer, I want to serve, but I’ve been bad about winning the heroic moment (the moment you first wake up). I’ll start being intentional about it again tomorrow. Pray that I can keep this promise. I’ll pray for you, too. 

One thing that should definitely be a part of everyone’s routine is prayer and scripture reading. I’ll share my routine in another post, but I’ll say now that the daily mass readings are easy to find and short  enough to read with your morning joe (or your morning go). 

When we pray, we tend to talk a lot. When we read the scriptures, God talks back. I find He’s often funny. Once when I was belly aching about how poor I am, the psalm of the day was, “The LORD hears the cry of the poor.” When I was recently diagnosed with diabetes, the reading said, “You will surely die.” Cute, Lord.

I’m pleasantly surprised by how often God speaks to me in that winking manner. I’m glad for it. There are some people who are more religious than God who might think God doesn’t wink. I don’t want to be one of them. I want to be a merry Christian, and a merry Christian to all, ho, ho, ho.