Monday, May 9, 2011

spiritual life and brushing teeth

If you ever want to know how I'm doing spiritually, just ask if I've brushed my teeth.

When I was young my mom would make me brush my teeth because she loved me. And because I was a child I didn't want to brush my teeth. I would even go so far as to get the toothbrush wet and stick it in my mouth. But I wasn't going to use toothpaste! Because then I would be giving in. To this day I still resist when people try to tell me that I will like something. I want to be my own person and am afraid that if I like it, that will give them the power to "make" me like other things. I realize how silly (and even neurotic) this sounds so I resist the urge too dislike merely because someone told me otherwise, but it is still a challenge sometimes.

I don't know how you are experiencing the first statement I made, so let me elaborate. I find that I am very bad at compartmentalizing my life. I let things affect me. When I found out my ex was dating again I had a bad day at work.. When I got chewed out at work because I wasn't doing a good enough job I had a bad night at home. When Cory and I sat out on the porch and smoked and talked the next day was great. When I figured out that I liked this girl I took vacation, hopped on the motorcycle, and drove to Oklahoma to see her. I don't do a good job at taking my feelings and keeping them in one part of my life. I find that when the dishes are done I can think more clearly. When my room is clean I can relax more. When the sun is shining and white cumulus clouds are floating lazily by I get happy.

While doing research for a paper I wrote in high school on George Washington I read something that stuck with me: Washington knew that every part of his life was connected. There were no such things as "secret sins." This is why he tried to live a virtuous life. The book gave Bill Clinton as an example of how things have changed. Now people think that what other people don't know won't hurt them. That they can live one way in one area of their life and a different way in another.

I have found that if I am taking care of myself spiritually, spending focused time with God, that changes the way I live my life. I have a desire to take care of myself. I want to get out of bed and go for a run, take a shower, brush my teeth. As silly as it may sound when I am not putting forth any effort to seek out the Lord I tend to also not put forth any effort to take care of me. As I write this down it seems so obvious. Of course this is the way it is.

Luke
Luketlancaster@gmail.com

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