Rumors and Patterns

We end up believing the rumor we spread about ourselves.    

So, why not make it a good one?        - John Bell

In crisis one does not rise to the occasion but defaults to the pattern.    –Roger Nishioka

March Madness is upon us.  Of course I’m talking about the NCAA Basketball Tournament.  Basketball like most other sports is a combination of physical and mental preparation, repeatedly drilled and trained.  Any successful athlete will tell you that the lack of either one will become evident when the game or match is on the line. 

Too many years ago when I played high school basketball our coach would end some practices with free throw shooting and on those days you couldn’t go to the locker room until you hit ten consecutive shots.   Sometimes were a breeze, and others were tortuous.  But when games were on the line, we made our free throws.

Most other practices ended with running sprints until we were exhausted.  The results were we rarely ran out of steam at the end of a game.  By the way, our team had an undefeated season.

The same principles of practice and preparation are true in all aspects of our lives especially our spiritual lives.  This is why prayer, meditation, reading, generosity, compassion, et al, are called spiritual “disciplines” and “practices”.    

Being intentional about regularly nurturing ourselves spiritually, or not, prepares us for daily living.  If you don't already have a regular spiritual practice, why not start with something simple like five minutes of daily silence and prayer.  Sign up for and online "thought of the day" to carry with you, one I like and use is HeartQuotes (they also have an app for mobiles).  Or if you already have a regular practice, extend or deepen it a little.

Whatever you do, remember we literally become our own rumors and default to our patterns.  The good news is we have the God given imagination and ability to create these rumors and patterns.

 Share below how your spiritual practices have and continue to shaped your life. 

 

Practice makes perfect!  –Countless parents, teachers, and coaches

"Speaking Our Imagination" -  last Sunday's sermon.