It has suddenly occurred to me that what most of us need this first week of January isn’t resolutions about developing a bunch of new habits, but restoration or strengthening of good habits we already had or were developing–habits the holiday season discombobulated!

My personal journal entry for this morning:

“Oh Lord, how I love Your word! How I love Your Spirit in Your word! How it blesses me to be reading again at least three chapters in the morning! And not just reading, but soaking in those words from the page, to assimilate their spirit, their instruction into my life. It makes my eyelids moist with gratitude. So sweet, so very sweet, once again to rise early and precede all the ordinary operations of my day with this inwardly empowering blessing!

“This is the time for me to get back to routines that special events and visits away have jostled. How foolish it would be to jump ahead with grandiose self-improvement plans when what I really need is restored order! Without the latter, how can I effectively move forward with the former?

So here’s my spiritual aim “just for this week:” to re-establish and strengthen two good daily routines:

1) Rising early to attend the word of God with the aim of assimilating it into my soul and life

2) Recording five new gratitudes

How blessed I am by doing these two things today! How much better strengthened, elevated, and equipped I am right now for whatever challenges my day ahead might present! And how much more joy infuses my soul!”

Joyous New Year!