Routine, I am finding, doesn’t re-establish itself after over a month of distracted neglect. It needs wrestling back into place. If 21 days suffice to establish a habit, that many days can also bring it near death by starvation.

It’s almost like starting out new: one part of the shattered routine at a time. (Flylady’s baby steps, all over again.) Review should shift them into auto-pilot before long, but for now I’m having to rework one thing, then another, get all those physical items back in their places (then keep them there)–and do the same with the daily duties.

But… one part of my routine continues like breathing, because I did not let it escape me even in all the comfortable chaos: my day-start adoration. My lesson in this: where at all possible, not to let important routines get pushed aside, at least totally. They’re easier to maintain, even with battle effort, than to re-establish later.

Day-start worship happens because repetition rooted it deep and deeper. As bed-making, laundry load thrown in (even if not lately on clock schedule). Remaining routines need a lot of retraining! So tomorrow: on the buzzer with what I’ve managed to keep in place. Then a daily housekeeping baby- step, then restarting my writing by pre-determined time (9 AM at the latest).

Back to rigors, back to schedules, bit by bit, back to balance: spirit and flesh, intellect and body, labor and (yeah, don’t forget) rest! And oh, also not to forget just enjoyment—appreciative joy.