Attitudes, Habits, Routines and Tendencies

Ever stand back and look your attitudes, habits, routines and tendencies squarely in the eye? The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly -

I continually pray that the Lord will give me these attitudes:
*All the Fruits of the Spirit*
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,Meekness, temperance.

I pray that the Lord will take away these attitudes:

Bitterness
Envy
Strife
A Quick Tongue
Vain Glory
Impatience
Selfishness

Ugly Habits that I am so tired of reigning in me:
My quickness to 'snap' in traffic, slow people, stupidity, and at the heat.
My impatience with people, with a tendency to see my needs as better than others.
Self-indulgence and self-pity - these go hand-in-hand.

Some remedies:
*For snapping in traffic - I have found that by biting my lip and letting as many people in front of me as I can really helps me. Being nice works. After all, everyone will eventually get home, why not help the process. Also, putting in a good cd right after I get in the car to come home works well. I sing to the music and turn up my ac. :)
When I am pitying myself, the Lord usually convicts me and I run to Him - It sometimes happens at the oddest moments, but if I act upon His conviction, it gets better.

Good Routines that I desire to keep cultivating:

Spiritual:
Staying active in the Word of God - through personal devotion time, couple devotion time, BSF.
Prayer - at all times of the day, with Haven, and with others. My best friend and I will pray over the phone from time to time (usually at bedtime) - what a neat thing to do across the miles!
I started to write my prayers in a journal a few years ago. . .this has been a neat way for me to see how faithful the Lord is in answering us.
Journaling - I started this long ago - maybe when I turned 9 or 10. I have a bajillion journals now, many are filled with petty thoughts. I recently threw away the ones that would not be of any benefit to me - my most memorable ones are from difficult parts of my life. I hope to pass this habit to my daughters someday, by first letting them read them.

Physical:
Working out: I have found that I need to work out regularly for more than just the pursuit of a healthy and fit body. I need it for good sleep at night, for circulation for legs that are still for long periods of time, to relieve cramps/aches/pains, and for my own mental sanity. Moving to a hot place makes it so difficult, but joining a gym has really helped me.

Beautifying:
Having a husband has a good effect on the whole appearance thing. Haven loves it when I get pretty. He pays for it :), he compliments, he loves and nurtures me. He encourages me when I feel yucky about myself. What a blessing. I heard often that it is important for a wife to look 'freshened' up before he wakes up and gets home. It heightens his regard for her and increases her self-confidence as well.

Make-up - I gave up on the expensive stuff - Clinique, make way for Covergirl. Its just as good, and they keep expanding their line. I add a mix of other brands when it comes to eyes and lips.
Hair - I never seem to go to the same place to get it cut - its weird, but, I have never really had a haircut that I didn't like, and it really hasn't mattered that much! The highlighting thing was really enjoyable, but its pricey to keep up.

This might be continued in a later post. . .