Cuppa rou-TEA-ine

In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. (Proverbs: 3:6, NASB)

Some routines are good....to keep me focused and "in the pink" emotionally. Change can mess with my psyche. Change, though often necessary, especially during the holidays, can rev up this ADD (Always Distracted) Dotsy (love the Ditsy typo that comes up) into frenetic frantic anxieties. I, like Daddy, seem to function better with routine.

However, these next few days are going to be anything but routine---for everyone celebrating Christmas, not just me.
My "new" routine will be minus the "normal" routine of a retiree. Gone is the familiarity of home. The time frame. The morning crossword.The straight paths from A to B. 
But God.....has given me time with the entire family (all 15) and that's a great gift. The path in the mountains might be a little curvy, and according to this morning's "Winter Weather ALERT!" a lot SNOWY......but I am trusting the Lord to lead the way. Stay in Taos, NM or "mush" on to Colorado?

Regardless of today's decision, my  cuppa "new" rou-TEA-ine will be served with extra measures of, not only snow,  but trust...as I spend time this Christmas with the Lord and family. A great combo.

rou-TEA-ine

But all things should be done decently and in order. (1 Corinthians 14:40, ESV)

Routine enhances order---at least these days that is true in my life.
Is that an aging thing? A "sot in your ways," control issue. Is it hereditary?

Certainly a cuppa rou-TEA-ine is preferred by lots of my family members, especially my brothers. It was modeled by our parents, whom you could set your clock by. As Daddy aged I watched him put his day in order more than ever, as if routine helped him keep a handle on things, that were trying to slip away.

Walking with Ellen has been a part of my exercise routine for over 24+ years. It's a routine that goes beyond physical exercise because I never know what gem I will glean from her. This morning was no different as she shared a Shane Stanford "jewel" from her last night's CUMC Bible Study. A reminder that being in His presence is a "spiritual routine" one should not neglect.
"One's joy is directionally proportional to the amount of time spent practicing the Presence of God in the midst of all his /her circumstances."
That's certainly biblical---Fulness of joy comes from being in His Presence. (Psalm 16:11)

The Bible----a great threshold that leads one into God's Presence.

A 3/2/10 original “Tea with Thee” blog, described my best “routine” for  morning quiet times----"like my tea---steeped just right, not rushed. An ordinary cup of tea, my daily Jesus Calling reading, simple scripture verses at my fingertips----ordinary beginnings can make a day extraordinary."

Now,  I would add.....a cuppa "rou-TEA-ine" in His Presence over flows into joy for a truly extraordinary day, regardless of the circumstances.