This One Little Thing I Do Every Day That Is Helping Right Now

As I walked around the block this morning and rounded the same edge of sidewalk I stepped on yesterday and the day before that…and the day before that, I was greeted by the same song from the bending tree limbs above.

Creak.

Creak.

I tilted my head and stared above.

The same bare brown branches reaching for clear light blue sky, just a bit out of reach…singing a soft whisper song of; 

“I’m still standing.”

The trunk of the tree, trying to steady against the whipping wind.

Nothing else left to do or say but to bend and creak with the current of the clouds.

“I see you tree,” I thought.

And?

I hear your song, set on repeat to your creaking mantra soundtrack sent out from your source of strength.

Strength unseen…that comes from roots…dug down deep.

Unseen…but very much there, underfoot fighting in the face of nature’s forces.

Any Yellowstone fans out there?

This quote from the most recent season is taken from a scene where an old cowboy is trying to teach Jimmy how to be a cowboy, made me stop and replay the scene:

“It’s the most Glorious work you can do that no body ever sees.

Takes every inch of you.

You will risk your life.

No body ever knows if you won or if you lost. 

It’s heart without an audience.

Till the day you die.”

Maybe you can relate to this cowboy conversation right about now?

There is heart work going on inside of you, that no body ever sees isn’t there?

As I continue to forward pace it around the same familiar corners…I surmise that I am living out my own personal mantra…laying down the beats to my own soundtrack.

A personal bend and creak solo to the hidden verses of a song called “what’s coming next?”

How about you?

How are you doing friend?

It seems our bend and creak chorus has reached the next decibel…of doubt, discouragement, disappointment, disillusionment, or how about…

You just ‘don’t even know anymore.’

I don’t have the solution but I do have a salve that is soothing the seconds that are supplying the strength to source my next step.

This one habit has changed everything for me.

It changes my sway from the very start and steadies my creaky limbs in the middle of my day.

I can’t even remember exactly how it started but I have a feeling this habit was God’s way of answering a prayer I had prayed, because He knew what I needed and when I needed it.

God is good like that.

He answers prayers and changes us exactly in the soul spaces where we need it most.

You see, I used to wake up every morning and before I even opened my eyes, the very first thought that would barrel into my brain was this question:

“What day is it?”

Maybe you do that too?

Without even being completely awake, I would wonder what day it was, which would then lead me to a second question:

“What do I have to do today?”

Now don’t get me wrong…both of these are valid and useful questions to ask yourself when you wake up.

But the problem with this old habit is that those two back to back barreling into my brain questions?

They were the welcome mat to invite stress and the date on her arm…anxiety, to take me out for a spin and go for a bumpy and wild ride.

Grabbing my arm and racing me out the door to catch a train that had already left the station.

Inevitably those two questions would often start off my day from a reactive stand point, sending me into a breakdance bob and weave day of disconnect and chaotic catch up.

But now?

Now I have been given the gift of establishing a new habit…and it has made all the difference.

This habit is like a stake in the ground.

A stake sent down deep into the soil of my day, to steady me against whatever wind will kick up and meet me in the hours ahead.

The habit is this.

Every morning, when I wake up…and I mean before I even open my eyes at all.

Real quick, stop for a second and think back to your first handshake greeting to your day…

Can you see it?

This slippery sliver of a moment in your day…I am finding…is so, so important.

Perhaps the alarm has just sounded, your child has just tapped you or the dog has just barked…you are now awake but you are not alert to all of the things…yet.

That slice of a second…this is where the most simple, yet life-giving grace can be encountered.

And I have missed it for 40 years…until now.

Those milliseconds when your mind messages you from sleep to senses.

You body is not moving yet.

Your body is still.

Your eyes are closed…

but your brain has beckoned you to begin.

Just when my brain begins to open the gate and give the green light to the two questions racing to a 2 way stop intersection?

Just before slumber meets sight?

I give silent voice to the day with this thought:

“Thank you God for this day.”

That is it.

This is the game changing exchange sent from my close eyes to the God who never sleeps or slumbers.

“Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.”

psalm 121:4 NLT

Truthfully?

I usually wind up repeating it a few times as I shake the sleep off and source the strength to start the day. 

“Thank you God for this day, thank you God for this day, thank you God for this day.“

A creaky silent mantra stretching my thought limbs up and out before my brain dump of the day has the chance to run me into the ground before my feet even touch the ground.

Repeating this praise thought over and over is like the comfort I feel when settling my hands around a warm coffee cup.

The sound of my inner voice setting the stage for what will be in this day…settles the stress that tries to strong arm its way into my brain and squeeze into my bed.  

Instead?

I kick it out to the cold with active praise versus reactive questions and chaos…all while my eyes are still closed and before my feet have hit the floor.

Because the thing is?

Yes, it will absolutely matter what day and it will absolutely dictate the details of what I need to do today.

We are human, we have things to do, responsibilities to rise to and people depending on us. 

But?

There is a time and a place for all of that information.

And, it is not before I have sent out my praise for the encountering the blessing of meeting this morning and breathing in it’s first awakened breath into my lungs.

The blessing when I send up that praise first, from my bed and from my closed eyes, yet open heart?

All of the questions and answers that will inevitably follow…all of those hard truths and timelines?

They are are softened.

Untangled.

Less scary.

Less intimidating.

Less powerful over taking me down…

Simply?

Less.

Because God is bigger

And now?

I have brought Him into view first…everything else now gets run through the filter of gratefulness for this day and the One who made it.

With this one praise:

“Thank you God for this day” before my eyes open with a bleary blink.

I am sourced with the grace and strength needed for the 24 hours I am blessed to breathe in.

I am equipped to see the day, open my eyes and start again.

What I am also finding…is that the simple praise that serves as a stake in the ground sent down deep to source the strength that is needed?

This praise often leads to a few other praises while my eyes are still closed.

Thank you God for this day.

Thank you God for my husband.

Thank you God for this warm bed.

Thank you God for this warm house.

Because once you start with giving thanks?

It can often lead to thinking about more things to thank Him for.

And then?

With the praise sent up…my body is ready to get up.

And the runway is softened by the gentle beating and greeting sent up from a grateful heart.

Sweet friend, hear me when I share this…

I am not saying this is a fix all for your hard problems that are waiting for you when you wake up.

What I am saying?

Is that this helps friend.

It has changed everything for me so much that I use it as a touchstone, every time stress is triggered throughout my day.

It is my creaky silent solo mantra in the wind of life right now.

“Thank you God for this day...even the hard days.“

If you want to try to implement this praise habit, to help you start your day?

Here are two ways to leave helpful cues to train your brain into beginning a new day a new way.

2 Ways to Train Your Brain to Begin A New Day A New Way:

1. Leave a sticky note on your nightstand that simply says “Praise Him.”

2. Place your slippers right next to your bed upside down.

Do this so that, when you have to flip your slippers over it helps remind you to flip your thinking over too, if you have already started racing down the rabbit hole of your day.

As you start to slide your feet into your slippers…become more aware that your feet are hitting the floor…triggering the reminder…it’s time to Praise Him.

Thank you God for this day.

Thank you God for this day.

“For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing praises to your name.”

2 samuel 22:50 ESV

This simple praise has the power to interrupt and starve anxiety and stress.

And instead?

Waters your roots below, unseen but oh so necessary to stand.

So that?

When the wind picks up…and your limbs start to creak…you are still standing strong in the face of the forces against you.

Be well friend.

Dear God,

Thank You that You are trustworthy.

Thank You for reminding us that nothing is impossible for You.

Please remind our hearts and minds to come to you with closed eyes in the morning, before we begin and send our praises to You.

Our hope is in you.

Amen.

Living on a prayer,

Heather