Developing Discipline

I am learning. He is teaching me...

I awaken each morning and I am still tired... exhausted... but then I force myself up, out of bed, and I light my candles (three tealights - for the Trinity - two tapers - for the Word and the Light - and one ball - for the world). Then I open my BCP to the page that tells me what the readings are, and I pull out my NKJV to read them. Then I read my prayer pamphlet, blow out the candles, and carry on with the task of preparing for the day ahead.

And I am no longer exhausted.

At lunch time, I pull out my NRSV, my copy of My Daily Appointments With God, and my devotionals journal. I read the passage indicated in the book and note any bits that particularly speak to me. Then I read the short essay (1 page long) in the book and copy out parts that speak to me. And sometimes I write a personal reflection. Then I pull out The Purpose-Driven Life and read the chapter I'm on, writing my answer to the question at the end in a notebook I have for it.

At night, I go downstairs and light my candles. Then I look up the evening readings listed in the BCP and read them out of my NKJV. I pull out my prayer cycle books - one is a bound book with a list of people I need to pray for, and the other is the notebook prayer journal for a specific person (I cycle through those) - and pray as appropriate, based on what's in these books. Then I take my "prayer journal in progress", which is currently a pile of art paper with various words and pictures on them (my responses to my day) and will eventually become a bound book or series of bound books (I haven't decided yet if I want to do one each month or one every three months or one a year or what). Then I say some prayers, and then I go to bed. And I sleep very well.