So what am I going to do about it, you ask? Well. I have goals. Lots of goals. I know what I want to do, I know what I need to do, and now I just need the discipline to DO it. Where to start? Baby steps. One little baby step at a time. And maybe it would be best to start at the beginning. Of the day I mean. Because apparently;
The first hour of the morning is the rudder of the day. Henry Ward Beecher
If I want to run a good race, I need to have a good start. Dragging butt and droopy eyed is not going to get me anywhere fast. BUT…. In order to have a good start TOMORROW I need to ensure I had a good finish TODAY. Late night frivolities are not going to make me bright eyed and bushy tailed the following morning. This is my first baby step. I need to get to bed at a decent hour and get a HEARTY rest so that I can accomplish the second baby step of getting up early earlier in the morning because we all know that “early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”
Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day. Jim Rohn
A few simple disciplines. Go to bed early, get up early, eat healthy, nourish my soul, exercise, work when it’s time to work, play when it’s time to play. It’s really not rocket science.
Success isn't measured by money or power or social rank. Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace. Mike Ditka
Discipline and inner peace. I think the one really has something to do with the other.
Self-respect is the root of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself. Abraham J. Heschel
Oh ho ho… wow, doesn’t this one ring true? I have a WHOLE lot more respect for myself this week than I did last.
Discipline is remembering what you want. David Campbell
Good one. I mean VERY good one. I think I should put this one on poster board and tack it to my forehead.
No horse gets anywhere until he is harnessed. No stream or gas drives anything until it is confined. No Niagara is ever turned into light and power until it is tunneled. No life ever grows great until it is focused, dedicated, disciplined. Harry Emmerson Fosdick
Focused, dedicated, disciplined. Got it.
That discipline which corrects the eagerness of worldly passions, which fortifies the heart with virtuous principles, which enlightens the mind with useful knowledge, and furnishes to it matter of enjoyment from within itself, is of more consequence to real felicity than all the provisions which we can make of the goods of fortune. Robert Blair
“Discipline… is of more consequence to real felicity…” Wow. Just…. wow.
Now here is my favorite;
Some people regard discipline as a chore. For me, it is a kind of order that sets me free to fly. Julie Andrews
Oh, do I love that! Not to see discipline as a clipping of the wings but as a path to flight.. What a paradox, but how true! I want to fly!
17 comments:
I've really been looking forward to more of your posts on this subject, and this was another great one. Here's my problem, though: "Discipline is remembering what you want." What if you don't know what you want? How do you figure it out? I have so many ideas of things I'd like to do, so I go flitting about from one thing to another and not getting much of anything done. How do you hone in on just one thing that you should be doing? I'm not talking about housework. I can get that done. It's that bigger question. What am I supposed to be doing with my life? It doesn't even have to be that big in scope. What am I supposed to be doing right now, with this one stage of my life?
YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!
Jenni, hey girl. I meant to drop you a line last time you shared here and I am mortified that I didn't because I could feel your angst and wanted to give you a hand squeeze. Well... here it is. Life has been a bit full for me lately and I've been trying to live out what I'm learning and it means my blogging/correspondence has to have its place too...
Personally, where God has led me in this regard (how do you know? What do you do? Where do you start?) is summed up something like this;
1. Be quiet
2. Be observant
3. Be available
4. Be obedient
Remember that book "The Prayer of Jabez"? Such a simple concept, but I really do believe in the idea of asking the Lord to orchestrate and reveal and expand our territory. He has a plan, He is working, and He wants to incorporate us into what He is doing. We sometimes get so worked up thinking we need to "find" it when really we need to just step back and wait until we "see" it.
I can't tell you how clear it was when I said "Lord, I will stop striving here, I'm here, I'm watching, show me what you would have me do today and who you would have me serve, and how you would use my gifts for good.
As I stopped trying to force things and just watched very carefully and started to see opportunities for service and obedience that fit perfectly with who/what/where I'm at... I learned to just rest and seize the moment.
He has a plan for you! It will be so clear when He reveals it, until then girl, don't sweat it! Put your feet back up in that hammock and just keep your eyes and ears peeled. =D
You were hard at work again sharing great info with the rest of us. Thanks. So what has your summer been like with the kids? Haven't seen pictures of them lately (o: The little one must be getting so big.
**Jenni**I really dealt with what was my ministry & purpose too...but after lots of waiting & praying He has placed some responsibilities on me. I know my "main" ministry is serving my children & husband & being a Godly wife & mother, but I wanted a little something more... to touch people that I don't rub shoulders with everyday. Over several months I was asked to teach Sunday school, orchestrate meals for people who have lost a loved one or have been in the hospital & write cards of encouragement to people who haven't been showing up for Church. To tell the truth, in the past I have done other jobs for the Lord but they were not fulfilling & now I know why this is different...my attitude. I am seeing these incredibly small "jobs" as acts of service to my Lord. We don't have to do BIG things for God to be useful to Him, sometimes sending a card or delivering a warm meal to someone hurting is a HUGE deal. Viewing these little tasks as working for the Lord has brought be great fulfillment!
Prairie Chick- I am enjoying this topic...I really struggle with staying on a schedule & being organized. I tend to view it as a straight jacket & fear trying it. I am a huge procrastinator & I need to work on that."Some people regard discipline as a chore. For me, it is a kind of order that sets me free to fly. Julie Andrews" I need to view it in this way...order that liberates me, not something to chain me down. I am really going to give this a try...thanks for the push!! :-)
Really appreciated these quotes. I am working on the same steps lately so it is netto to read your blog. I am working hard to go to bed early because I LOVE early mornings when I do! Here's hoping I can take flight each day:)
Wow! I need to print these and stick them up where I can be reminded all day long. Great quotes, great thoughts.
Thank you so much for your comments on my blog, it helps to know there's someone else out there who's working on the same thing! Rest in the moment...excellent advice.
Hey P.C., Blessings to you and yours. What a wonderful post-and yes so needed. We all need discipline and I loved all the quotes. I am always so encouraged by your posts and this one makes me want to be more disciplined.
Enjoy His voice leading and guiding you.
Hugs, Noreen
Great, great quotes. It is encouraging to me to see that this is a sort of "universal" (uggh that word has been so over-used lately) struggle. I suppose it is part of the human condition.
I love the idea of baby steps. When I try to do it all in one fell swoop, I inevitably get discouraged and step away from the whole thing. Little by little I can get things in order.
just what i needed to hear...
blessings
gp
"Discipline is remembering what you want." I want to focus more on keeping the first things first, and use a little self-denial in order to achieve our aims. That quote struck me less spiritually than it did the other commenters - it just was a POW-up-side-a the head about financial decisions - those penny by penny daily thingies.
This is precisely the sort of reason why I show up here
on the Prairie
and then return
and return again.
K-Sue; GOOD ONE. Totally hearing you!
Glad to know I'm not alone and other people are blessed by pondering this as well.
Wonderful post! These very topics have been on my heart and mind for awhile now. I'm really enjoying reading what you have to share.
Prairie Chick Says:
December 2, 2008 at 4:08 pm edit
wow. I love the visual image of “leftovers”. I do NOT want to offer leftovers to God. Despite my not wanting to, I wonder how often I do and am shamed and sorrowed to say that it is often. The wording in this post just made me feel like scales dropped from my eyes. I will be thinking and evaluating the plate of praise that I serve Him today… that it won’t be cluttered by take out and leftovers, but that it will be a double portion, hand mixed and served up with the firstfruits of all my devotion.
this is a favorite quotation of mine, and surprise, it is by you!
you are a blessing and an encouragement!!!!
I remember that!!! Thanks for offering it back to me, it was beautiful to receive and all I can say is that the fact that something I said last year is still with you touches me more than you can possibly know. The timing of this is impeccable as it fits so nicely with the blog entry I have just been composing.
Just wanted to say thanks for writing this- it's what I've been trying to say to myself but didn't have the words for.
Very grateful.
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