Every Single Day?

Have you ever noticed all the things people tell you that you must do every single day? Reading our Bibles, praying, and spending time with God, of course. Exercising. If we're writers, we're also supposed to write every day.

In addition, the experts always say to do these things at the same time every day. Stephen King in On Writing was very adamant about that. He himself writes 2,000 words every day, seven days a week. If we're part-time writers, he said we could go easy on ourselves and do 1,000 words a day, six days a week. But no matter what our circumstance, he insisted we need to write at the same time every day.


I'm in big trouble.


I've managed to become more disciplined over the years. I've exercised at least three times a week consistently for more than 20 years, and managed to keep off a bunch of weight I lost. I've finished several novels. I've gotten more consistent about my quiet time and was excited that last year I actually managed to read through the entire Bible.

But the same time, every day? Just not going to happen, I fear. For awhile on my last job, I even started work at a different time almost every day. I had to keep a calendar in my purse because my schedule varied so much there was no way I could remember it. I might work from four p.m. to midnight one day, then a couple of days later, go in to open at 7:30 a.m.

Things aren't that crazy now. Still, every day seems to throw me a different curve. For the most part, I've made my peace with that. I eventually accomplish what I need to, regardless of what the experts say. The only thing I really wish I'd get better about doing every single day is opening up God's Word, partly because I'm cheating myself when I don't. I'm constantly amazed how God communicates directly with me through my daily--okay, frequent--devotions.

Take last Wednesday. My cat Cera showed signs she was getting sick again. I knew she had to go to the vet, but I was pretty worried. Not only about her, but selfishly I was afraid I would miss the second of my mini vacations I scheduled for this year. I was supposed to leave for Orlando with my sister and niece a few days later but figured I was in for another ten days of vet trips and shots. And nobody can manage her but me. I needed her well in about two days, not ten. It appeared the trip might be out.

I was praying about it as I walked around and went about my business, but I finally found time to sit down for my daily devotion reading. And there in the Psalm for the day (Ps. 121) was a line that God would watch after "my going and my coming." The words had that quality about them, where they seem to jump off the page. As if God had bolded the words, or whispered them in my ear. And I knew everything would be okay. However it turned out, he had my trip under control. He cared about it. He was watching over my going and my coming.

Turned out, Cera wasn't as sick as I feared. Two shots and the vet said we were through. Orlando, here I come!

So in view of how wonderful it is to have God speak to me in that personal way, I wonder why I so often don't seem to find the time to sit down and read his Word? Why do I consider it an energy drain, instead of what it is--an energy booster?

This is the area I definitely want to improve, whether I ever write 2,000 words a day or not. (And I'm thinking "not.") The Bible is going with me to Orlando.

By the way, I'm planning to be gone through next Wednesday, and I can't guarantee I'll post again before I get back. I may not even take my computer.

Oh drat. I just remembered. They say if you blog, you should also post every day. Like I said, I'm in trouble.