Last month, I wrote about habit training for adults and how rewarding myself helps me stick with it. I tried last month to establish the new habit of getting out of bed and walking in the morning before everyone else was up. It went okay for a couple of weeks. I paid myself a dollar a day. Then I went on a business trip and everything got screwed up.
So, I'm finally back to walking, but it's a new month, and I'd like to add a new habit (even though the old one is far from established, and even though it's already the 7th, so it's hard to call it a new month).
We were talking last weekend about how we love our church but we don't really feel like we're a part of it yet. We want to really be involved, have real community, you know? And we really don't have that yet -- we still feel pretty much like outsiders. As we were discussing it, I knew immediately what I needed to do to change it. I need to invest in others. Since our church is an hour away and we don't have long distance, I can't call the other young mothers to get to know them better and to encourage them. But I can write notes of encouragement. And I really feel that God wishes me to do just that.
So this week I wrote a short note of gratitude to our pastor, who's teaching we love. I'm hoping to write (and deliver or send) at least one note of encouragement a week this month, and to continue on beyond this month. I'm going to focus on encouraging and praying for people in our church, as a way to knit our hearts together. I think this is a biblical way to really grow in love for each other.
I'm pretty sure that I'll enjoy doing this enough that I don't have to perk it up with external rewards. I'll keep you posted with how it goes.
Speaking of pastors, isn't October Pastor Appreciation month? Do something to encourage your pastor. Write a comment to tell me what you did.
Travel is the bane of a good habit.
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