Habits part 1

This is a post that I took from my last blog. I thought it would be good to post here as we, who have school age children, get back into the routine of school.

What is a habit?
Some who know me know that I loosely follow the teachings of Charlotte Mason, in our home school. I say “loosely” because I have not actually read any of her writings. I have the pleasure of knowing people who have, and am fortunate enough to live in the same area as a curriculum publishing company that publishes Miss Mason’s ideas. (Livingbookscurriculum.com)

Habit forming is one of Miss Mason’s ideas. I believe it to be the most important. It not only effects school but to every day life. Infancy to adulthood. So I ask what is a habit?

The dictionary says a habit is: “a thing that a person has done so often without thinking about it that he finds it hard to stop.”

Charlotte Mason describes habits as train tracks. The train of life runs smoothly when habits (good ones) are faithfully instituted, and applied. When habits get off course or there are none laid in a particular area, the train of life will derail or become chaotic.

Our pastor at church, a few months ago, put this in the bulletin: Watch your thoughts-they become words, watch your words-they become actions, watch your actions-they become habits, watch your habits-they become your character, watch your character-it becomes your destiny.

Neuroscience shows that a repeated action of the body or the mind produces a physiological effect on the nervous system and the brain. There is literally a new "neural pathway" formed in the brain to accommodate the new habit. It becomes easier to do the thing for which there is a pathway (rail) laid down in the brain. (This was taken from a newsletter that I get)

In forming good habits, it takes patience. I believe it takes about 3 weeks of repeated action to make it habitual. It also takes watchfulness. (Watching to correct wrong behavior). Most of all it takes consistency. (Which I am not very good at).

I will be discussing this more, tomorrow.

Have a blessed day.

The Lord’s Promises and Our Faith Tests

God promised Abraham he’d be the father of many nations and his descendents would be like the stars of the heavens and the sand of the shore.

God promised David he would be king.

God has promised me that someday I’ll be a momma of many children in Africa. He has promised that I’ll go and start an orphanage in Uganda.

But…with God’s promises, comes tests of faith.

God told Abraham to sacrifice his only true heir, Isaac. God was testing Abraham’s faith. If Abraham killed Isaac on that alter, all of the promises of numerous descendents would be gone, unless God brought Isaac back to life. But at the very moment Abraham put the knife to Isaac’s throat, the Lord stopped him and supplied an alternative sacrifice.

God allowed Saul to hate David. Saul made many attempts on David’s life. This was a test of faith for David. If Saul killed him he wouldn’t be king. Time and again, while running or hiding from Saul, David would ask God for help, until the day Saul and Jonathan were killed. David mourned for his best friend and worst enemy. Then Israel made David king.

My test of faith is my family and God’s timing. I want to go NOW, but I have a son who is starting high school this year. My other son will start next year. You might think, “What’s the big deal, you homeschool them.” Yes I homeschool, but high school is more demanding than elementary, so I need to give my all to the boys’ schooling. So this places going to Africa no sooner than 5 years from now. That’s the timing portion of my faith test.

The family part is: my husband. He doesn’t want to go to Africa. So if I think too hard about this issue, I start going places that I really don’t want to go. I start asking “what if…” questions. “What if God didn’t promise me Africa? What if I misunderstood?” I have thought hard about this question. I’ve decided that if I’ve misunderstood then we go somewhere else. God has placed this desire to help orphans in me, so I know He will fill that desire, one way or another.
“What if God changes Jamie’s attitude?” Than we both go to Africa, which is what I want. “I want us both to serve our Lord in Africa. But…what if God doesn’t change Jamie’s attitude?” If that is the case, than 1 of 2 terrible things will happen: 1) we get a divorce. Which neither of us want. Or 2)Jamie dies. I don’t even want to go there!

When God promises something, we have to remember that He will not break that promise! What is your biggest faith test?