New home, new routines -- new opportunity!

I once read an article outlining the biggest stressors a person can experience in his life. According to the article, moving was one of those stressors, and after finally finishing the last load of boxes in our cross-town move, I can agree. Moving is both physically and emotionally draining, especially for somebody who enjoys having his work space in some semblance of order.

Part of the reason for the stress is that moving deeply upsets routines. I'm not one particularly given to routine, but it does make the day quite a bit more difficult when simple tasks like brushing your teeth involve a search through boxes just to find the required equipment.

One of the upsides to moving is the fact that it does upset routines, because not all of my habits and routines are good. For the last several months, I have been desperately trying to recover a healthy practice of the spiritual disciplines (commonly called quiet time), but it has been nothing but struggle. I'm looking forward to settling into some new morning routines and a fresh approach to the challenge of spending time with God. I've even dug out a good book on the topic, Dallas Willard's Spirit of the Disciplines, just to spark some interest and fresh thinking on the subject.

The refreshing part of change is the opportunity to change for the better. Here's to the pursuit of a deeper intimacy with Jesus!