Tag: health

The value of routine…

Dog man. Mr. Happy. Granny. Badminton dad. No-smile jogger.

We’ve nicknamed the people we see regularly on our early morning walks. When we don’t see them, we wonder… are we earlier than normal? are they late? are they ok??

It’s the same reaction I have when we don’t hear from our kids. Or realize we haven’t seen so-and-so in their normal seat at church lately. Are they ok? sick? out of town? Did they lose their phone??

There’s something about routine that frees one’s mind — lets it go on auto-pilot, so to speak. There are numerous benefits to having routines in place. For example, when we were preparing to move overseas a “few” years ago we attended a three-month “boot camp” to help prepare us for our move. We had classes on cultural adaptation, linguistics, team building, conflict resolution, nutrition, marriage and family issues, etc. We were encouraged to build exercise into our weekly schedules. “Encouraged” is a rather mild way of stating it — it was more like a requirement! A minimum of three times a week, 20 minutes of aerobic activity each time. We checked in with our trainer at the end of each week, and if we hadn’t fulfilled the requirement we had to make up any missed sessions! Why make this such a big deal? Because physical activity is a key way to help manage/reduce stress.

Routines also help with time management. Ever since “boot camp,” when I wake up in the morning I endeavor to start the day with some form of exercise. Having that routine in place helps keep me from hemming and hawing, wondering should I or shouldn’t I exercise today? (It also helps me to wake up, which an earlier blog attests to! see link below) Have I done this consistently? Not really. More like off-and-on. When our kids were little, getting regular exercise was hit-and-miss. Now, if I’ve had a late night zoom call or have an early morning one it’s rare that my day starts with exercise.

Another routine that I’ve built into my lifestyle is having what I call my “Quiet Time,” a time set aside to read the Bible, pray, and sometimes journal. This helps to ground me. Gives stability in the midst of ever-changing circumstances and the demands of life. This routine has also morphed over the decades. When our kids were little, my daily Quiet Times sometimes felt like what I read went in one eye and out the other — with nothing connecting to my mind, let alone my heart! But the intent has always been there.

Routines, when adhered to, help us to not procrastinate. Gulp. That’s one I need help with! It’s easy for me to get distracted. To gravitate to things I enjoy doing or do well instead of choosing to do what’s necessary. My agenda — with its calendar and to do lists — helps me keep on track. Most of the time anyway!

Whenever we travel by plane we deal with jet lag. It’s a very real phenomena that results when one’s internal clock gets out of sync with where one currently is in the world. Someone once shared with us to expect to feel like a zombie one day for every time zone crossed. That meant it took our bodies about a week to readjust when we traveled from our home country to Europe when we lived there, but now — with living on the exact opposite side of the globe — it takes even longer! One thing that helps with overcoming jet lag is routine. Going to sleep at the normal time. Waking up at the normal time. And yep, exercising.

Sometimes a break in routine is beneficial– which is one reason why people go on vacation. It’s a time of NOT having to get up the same time each morning. NOT needing to think about doing laundry and responding to emails and all the stuff that fills most days. Having a break can help increase creativity. Give new perspective. Shed light on problems or other issues.

In all honesty, one of the things I’m a bit anxious about with our upcoming move to our home country is finding our new rhythms, our new routines. Redefining the sense of the familiar — like seeing Dog Man and the others on our walks. I know it will come. Eventually.

In the meantime, may we encourage one another to build some healthy routines into our lives so that together we can have joy in the journey of this thing called “Life!”

Back to realizing we haven’t seen so-and-so in their normal seat at church or not hearing from someone (like our kids)… I don’t know about you, but one thing that always lifts my spirits is when someone says, “Hey! Didn’t see you last week. Missed you!” or “Haven’t heard from you for a while. You doing ok?” Being a part of the fabric of society — and being acknowledged when absent — is another way of saying “You’ve been seen. You matter. I care.” But that’s a topic for another blog, another day.

Filling in the blanks…

Deja vu… COVID times two

The unwelcome symptoms were eerily familiar. High fever. Loss of appetite. NO energy. My-head’s-about-to-explode headaches. Only this time I wasn’t in the comfort of my own home. We were in another country, in a hotel.

Once we got back home, there was the familiar nose-swab, wait, and then see if anything shows up routine that confirmed what I dreaded: I tested positive for COVID. And then two days later, my husband also tested positive. Misery loves company, right?! We both had been vaccinated three years ago. We both had had COVID three years ago after being vaccinated — at least at different times that first go-round, which made caring for one another easier. Thankfully, this time his case was “mild.” Mine, on the other hand, took almost three weeks until I felt like my old self.

This deja vu experience evoked memories of what life was like during the height of the pandemic…

Our son was managing a restaurant in southern California back then. A peaceful protest against COVID restrictions unfortunately morphed into looting and destruction. A jewelry store across the street from his restaurant was looted. Another shop in the same block was burned down. There were some shootings. As a result, the restaurant closed as a precautionary measure.

“I’m OK.”

When we received an email from our son with “I’m OK” in the subject line this mother’s heart leapt for joy! How thankful we were that he took the initiative to check in with us!

His response reminded me of how one Sunday our pastor shared that the pandemic may change who we see as heroes. He asked,

How much do we value service/serving others?

Do we see serving others as being heroic?

He went on to develop the idea that our service is, indeed, an outflow of our LOVE for God and others. It doesn’t necessarily need to be the large, more visible things, but the “hidden,” small things… like guarding the reputation of others, common courtesy, being served/allowing others to use their gifts to serve you, hospitality, listening, bearing one another’s burdens, intercession, sharing the word of life with one another (from Richard Foster).

When our son took the initiative to check in with us he was showing common courtesy. He was serving us by showing his care. He was giving us the opportunity to bear his burden. In other words, his “service” to us was reflecting his love for us… and in my book, that’s being a hero!

Having COVID again has reminded me that there were some crucial lessons that surfaced during those days… lessons I don’t want to forget. And one of those is to be intentional in taking the initiative to check in with others… just to see how they’re doing. To offer a listening ear. To discern what’s really going on beneath the surface/beyond their words or actions. To seek ways to offer help.

It’s often the little things, the “hidden” things that communicate powerfully, so don’t underestimate what a kind word or an unexpected text or fill in the blank can mean to someone!

How might YOU take the initiative to serve someone today? This week? As we do this, I’m confident it will enable us to have joy in the journey of this thing called “Life!”