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A Plan For Discipline

 Sometimes God tells us to do something. The thing seems good enough. The issue with obedience isn’t assent but discipline. This has been my story with several things… for decades!

Success First! So back in my NY days I knew God wanted me to work out. I’ve been one of those people who can just eat and eat with little change. Though I did get chunky in NYC. Liz had told me not to eat the school lunch! I had to see why for myself in the mirror! Anyway not seeing the need to work out, I regularly made excuses. Once I had moved back to DC I told God I needed an Eliptical. I never used it to hang laundry (a promise I kept to myself) but I rarely used it for well anything… Eventually after years of just not being obedient I got honest with myself. 



I like to work out in community! A membership to a gym with workout classes? I’m there! I had started before the pandemic but obviously my schedule was interrupted. Back in August I got a membership to the Y, and I am there. When I know my schedule will be tricky I see where I can double up. Why does it work? I have a plan for discipline. A realistic plan based on who I really am. 

Failure Next! Also back in NY I knew that God wanted me to learn to speak Hindi. Read one of my blogs about that. It’s been over a decade! I have tried Rosetta Stone, free apps and paid apps, even a textbook. I have even had the embarrassing moment where I should be able to converse with a young child in Hindi, but can’t! It’s not that I don’t have the ability. I don’t have the discipline. And so for weeks I have been thinking, I need a plan for discipline based on who I really am. I need a teacher. I need someone who will say you are learning this and doing that, and who actually pays attention. Today I started Hindi tutoring. She is strict. Her schedule is flexible. Hopefully I have no more excuses. A good sign is I started my hw immediately…



The point is we need a plan for discipline. Saying hey let’s do x on y day usually only works for some things. For those things you don’t seem to be getting to, try a plan for discipline. Perhaps one that holds you accountable. The ladies at the Y know my name. They know my classes, my spot, even the weights I use…



Make a plan as we approach the 1/2 way mark for the year. Discipline doesn’t just happen, at least not for me. 

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