A new schedule

A few posts back I mentioned I brought home 11 suitcases full of goodies. These were mainly clothes and books. My children are addicted to the clothes, I'm addicted to the books! One of the wonderful books I picked up, that isn't necessarily for everyone, is called Time to Write by Kelly Stone. It is the first book I have found that actually addresses the time management issues of writers -- something this organized, time management guru is struggling with!

It's not so much that I don't have time to write, it's just that I need to DISCIPLINE myself to sit down and do it! (Yes, I know, I used a dirty word -- discipline -- please forgive me!) And it didn't help that as I was reading this book I was also watching the Olympics, where every commentator talked about the discipline factor all the athletes had to have over the last 4 years in order to get where they are. Ouch! Was God trying to get my attention?

The combination of the book and the Olympics (and of course God's timing with it all) pushed me to set a new writing schedule for myself and I'm praying I can stick with it. I know it will not be easy, and I'm not off to a great start yet, but I am working on it. Distractions have already tempted me and there have been times when I've succumbed and other times when I have stood firm. Just one day last week the phone rang, the doorbell rang, and somebody stopped by, all while I was trying to write -- honest truth! I know that it will not be easy, but like the Olympic athletes I want the prize and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to reach it. That also includes sacrifice. I'm having to give up TV (including the US Open tennis tournament), Internet time, phone time, leisure activities, and time with friends so that I can accomplish my writing goals. But before you think I've locked myself away never to be seen again, don't worry. I'm using my "sacrifices" as motivation and reward -- when I reach a short-term goal or accomplish a small step then I get to enjoy those "sacrifices" without guilt! This is discipline. Right now it's not fun, but when I reach the gold then it will all be worth it.

I say all this because I want to inspire you today to think about you want in life. Is there something you desire that requires discipline, yet you don't want to endure the hardship that discipline brings? It may not be something similar to my goals, but something to do with your health, your home, or your spiritual walk. I encourage you to take small steps that may help you claim gold in your life. With prayer, God's strength, and yes, with discipline you can reach it. If I can do it, so can you! If you want you can drop me a note and let me know what some of your goals are and what you hope to do to discipline yourself to reach that goal. Accountability is a great help during those times and I'd love to partner with you!

I leave you with the words of Paul to ponder, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." (1 Corinthians 9:24-25 NIV)