Creature of Habit

I went and got my driver's license renewed this morning before work. Now I'll be honest, I know a lot of people pay extra special attention to their driver's license picture, their hair, make-up (girls), and such but I do not. Not an especially important matter to me, just a piece of plastic I need in my wallet so that I may enjoy the privilege of operating a motor vehicle in the State of Oklahoma. I knew I was going to be taking a picture, however, so I randomly chose a shirt out of my closet that I knew was clean (meaning one that didn't have any food stains on it) and headed out the door. Today that shirt happened to be a yellow polo shirt with blue horizontal stripes.

So while I'm waiting for the Tag Agent lady to type in all the necessary information into the computer, I whipped out my expiring driver's license and looked at the picture. I couldn't believe it! In the picture I had taken four years earlier I was wearing.....wait for it..... a yellow polo shirt with blue horizontal stripes! It wasn't the same shirt, but it looked very similar.

Moments like this are a reminder to me that I have the capacity to be predictable. Repeatable. Habitual. Stale. Especially in my personal daily walk with Christ. Honestly? Jesus could probably say that I've been wearing the same "shirt" for some time now and I know He'd love for me to make a "wardrobe" change for the better. Starting today.

What's your "go-to" shirt? Where, in your walk with Christ, do you need to freshen up your "wardrobe?"

Power Outtage: Musings from Day #4

So by Day #4, things were getting pretty redunculous. Here's why:

1. My pharmacy got power restored on Day #3 at about 2 p.m. I live a mile away and no love!
2. Due to #1, I had to go back to work. Just as you can imagine, after being closed for almost 3 days, things were a bit hectic (people gots to have their drugs!).
3. I had to leave electricity behind at work and return to the dark ages at home. Yes, I needed the WAAAmbulance.

Here's a funny thing that by Day #4 shouldn't have been happening, and yet it still was - I was flipping the light switch whenever I walked into a room at my house. Now you would figure by Day #4 without any electricity whatsoever, my brain would have convinced my hand NOT to do such a silly motion, but no. My hand kept reaching for that dang ol' light switch. Habits are funny that way. Especially the "life-long" variety.

I began to contemplate all the habits I had formed over my lifetime. Some were good, but there were plenty that weren't. The problem with my bad habits is I have become comfortable with them to some degree. Comfortable enough that I don't care/desire to change them. This isn't very God-honoring.

My bad habits list looks something like this: complaceny towards daily time with God, towards working out, towards my tone with my wife, and towards pursuing my frienships. This is a small list, but significant nonetheless.

What's your list look like? How are you going to rewire your brain to change your habits?