"SHAKE IT UP"

     Therefore, gird your mind for actiin
                               1 Peter 1:13 NASB


   Sometimes our daily routine seems more like
a never-ending rut. The activities and respons-
ibilities that were once fresh and new gradually
become stale and old. what can you do to shake
 things up a bit?
   A woman asked herself that question one
morning as she arose at her usual time. She had
done all she needed to do to get her children off
to school and her husband to work. Now she
was home alone, looking for the motivation to
face her day.
   She said to herself, I know what I'll do. I'll
 turn thing upside-down. Instead of sticking to
my usual schedule, I'll reverse the order
That meant her first item of business was
preparing dinner. She thiught she light feel
strange preparing meat and vegetables at 9 a.m.,
But she was surprised to find she felt a sense of
relief at having this "chore" done early
somehow, it made the rest of the housework and
errands less stressful.
    She found a little extra time to write a letter
and catch up on some readind, and by the time
her children came tromping in from school, she
 felt happier than she had in weeks. She was
already thinking of others ways to add variety
to her daily routine.
    Who says you have ti do the same things in
the same way at the same time every day?
    The Bible clearly tells that our God is a God
of infinite variety! While Hus commandments
are not negotiable, His methods often change.
 That's part of His nature as creator., The Lord
 is continually creating new methods to reach us
with His love and to show us His care.
     Break iut if your rut today! Ask the Lord to
give you insight into how you might participate
more fully in His creative process by doing
 thing differently.