Things I Should be Doing Instead

I had this revelation recently about discipline: it's a choice, not a feeling.

Attitude follows actions, and  sometimes I wish it weren't so. For example, I have not in the past 4 years that I have been waking up at the butt-crack of dawn so that I can get my day started before my kids are allowed to be awake ever felt like getting out of bed.

Never.

Not once.

But I choose to do it because I like myself (and my kids) a whole lot more when I do.

Choosing discipline has compelled me to be a much better mother and teacher these past two weeks. Until today.  Today I waited for the feeling of "let's do school" to take over and as history has already taught me many times before, it never came.  I did do what I had to-had to with Morgan and Brennan, which has an air of discipline-ness to it, but who are we kidding - it's not been a gold star day for getting school done, or much else.  Unless you count distracting my friend Sher from getting her work done by talking on the phone.  Maybe my motto is "be disciplined unless you can convince someone else to be undisciplined with you."

Excellent work, Smithers.

I suppose that would mean that right now, I am fully aware that I am being undisciplined and taking a break and blogging when I should be getting something done.

But hold the phone...

Resting and taking breaks, are part of a well-disciplined life, n'est pas?

Maybe if I just called this a Thursday afternoon a Sabbath, I could sound well educated and deserving of the respite I have provided for myself today.

Shalom.

Here are some of the things I am choosing not to do right now as I grow discipline in the area of random Sabbath taking.  Spin is everything, right?

I am not folding laundry.   I'm not even letting it out of the laundry room to grow right now.

I am not cleaning the school room tables.  I started cleaning out my school cupboards so that all the new and old curriculum would be in it's proper place and at least if I wasn't going to do school today, I could at least make the days that follow much more organized and well thought out.  Well begun is not half done in this case.

I am not writing my talk/sermon/speech for the Women's event at our church that I am "guest-speaking" at next Thursday.  Are you a guest if you always attend?  Discuss.

I didn't make a well-balanced meal for lunch.  We had banana cake.  On purpose.  True - I did reduce the sugar by 1/2 and subbed some whole wheat flour - but still. Cake. For. Lunch.  Proving once again that I will always try to make up for what I lack with good food.  I'm buying your love, one baked good at a time.

Speaking of baking, I haven't finished baking for the Worship retreat my friend and I are responsible for either.  Good thing for Friday.

I didn't go for a walk this morning. And I had cake for lunch.  I might have to add clothes shopping to my list of things to do on Friday.

I haven't printed out the music I need for tonight's practice.  Been thinking about the set since Tuesday and my heart is in the right place - my printer just isn't well connected to my heart.  That's next.  Right after I hit publish.

I haven't listed the boxes of rubber stamps I have purged from my crafting cupboard for about 3 months now.  I may need someone to be disciplined on my behalf for that one.  I know.  I need to be disciplined enough to find someone more skilled in administration.  I'm sure that's what needs to happen.  Or they may never leave my house.

On that note I haven't taken the boxes of books that I purged from our home library to the Book Man either.  Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi.  You're my only hope.

And finally,  I'm not getting something ready for dinner. At least the fridge is full of leftovers.

What didn't you do today?