RITUALS

Probably everyone of us has some ritual we go through each day. We don't think of it as a ritual, but it is something we do each day. It's a habit. My day is filled with habits/rituals I do all the time, and it's hard to break these things.

Each morning when I come to the computer, I have to play Solitaire. I tell myself I need to let the computer warm up before I start writing, but I really love the game. Nine years ago, when my mind needed a real boost after several surgeries, I started playing it to stimulate my mind. It keeps my eyes and mind alert, but it also delays my writing. I can't seem to stop playing this game, so I would say I'm addicted.

Isn't it funny how we become dependent on these little routines we go through each day? Another one of my good habits is to read the Bible first thing in the morning. My mind is clear and I have less distractions. My husband and I have been using a program from a website, Larry's Lines. I'm not reading straight through, but making the reading more fun. This month we are reading about "Stories You May Have Forgotten." This is more interesting to me than to start in Genesis and go straight through. I have connections between the stories.

Another habit I have is to ask my husband what he wants for dinner each day. His answer is always, "I don't care." Why don't I save my breath and prepare whatever I want? It would be much quicker.

Next week we are having our Vacation Bible School, and I am a sorcerer. After studying about this subject, I realized we all have rituals. I have to explain it to the children not do these things. It's going to be hard since I am the worst offender. I don't do it for good luck, nor do I read a horoscope. I don't believe in those things. But I have to explain it to kids for 3 year olds to teens what sorcery is and why we don't teach it.

The older kids will connect with Harry Potter, but it's going to be harder to teach the younger kids. They do watch The Witches of Waverly Place and Power Rangers. I'm sure there are others, but I'm not a big watcher of Disney channel.

In doing this research, I've been amazed how many sorcery signs enter our lives each day. Also, the words we use that are associated with sorcery are scattered through our language. We think nothing of it, but we should.

Now, that I've written this blog, which is another ritual, I need to get to writing. American Christian Fiction Writers is coming up in a few months, plus I'll have visitors here in August. There's not much time to finish my book, do a one-page, synopsis, and get chapters ready for the conference. I'm going to be one busy woman!