Routine, discipline & life lessons from my indoor plant

I got given this plant a couple of years ago. (You can see it all busy in the corner of this photo.) It was a Christmas present actually. A lush, green, potted palm. It added some 'life' to my lounge room and I really loved it.
It turned out my baby at the time did too. Lexie would crawl over to it, pull herself up on the pot and start flicking the potting mix all over the rug and floor. I'd find her there often, with a fist full of leaves in her chubby little hand. After just a couple of months, my once luscious plant was stripped bare and literally all that remained was one green stem sticking up out of the depleted soil. 
I'm not sure why I became to stubborn about it, but I wasn't going to let this guy die. I am the farthest thing from a green thumb, but I liked having this plant around and I wasn't going to let my baby ruin it! :)

So, I moved the plant up on to a table out of reach (why I didn't do this earlier I have no idea!). I set a weekly alarm in my phone. Friday morning. It turned into plant watering morning. I created a routine. I was disciplined in giving water & bringing this plant back to life. And, just as I'd hoped it would, new life started to appear on the stem. A little leaf started to uncurl, then another and another. A new stem appeared and on that, another leaf, and another. It was coming back to life!

I have been feeling a little burnt out as this new year has begun. Like life just wasn't as full of joy as I wanted it to be, and some of my plans weren't instantly appearing like I'd wished they would (don't they just happen when you snap your fingers?!)  I was yelling at my kids in the mornings getting everyone out the door. I'd lost a bit of direction. I didn't feel like I had much margin in my life between work, other commitments and relationships. I had let my deep peace get all out of whack and frazzled. 

I felt challenged on Sunday night to put 'first things first' again in my life. Instead of my ad-hock quiet times with God. I decided to get up a few minutes earlier and spend a consistent time with God. I set my alarm in my phone. So like my plant-watering schedule, 5.45am every morning is turning into my God time. I am hoping to create a routine. I want to continue this discipline. And just like my leafy plant, I feel myself coming back to life. A new refreshment. A sense of right. I feel a bit more even-keeled. My patience seems to be in a bit more abundant supply and my smile is a little more at the ready. It's amazing how a bit of discipline and routine can bring things back into order. I realise it's only day three into the week, but so far so good!

It reminds me of this verse in the Bible:

"Draw near to God and he will draw near to you" - James 4:8

As I take this next step closer to God, I'm excited to see what the ramifications will be in my life. I'll let you know how this 'experiment' continues! : )

#firstthingsfirst.