Good morning, DearHeart.

My brother, Russ, is a big fan of habits … of making good things routine to the point that they become muscle memory. Then- the brain and body don’t have to think about it, the good thing is attached, and like breathing and blinking, and the rooster crowing every morning, it just happens. Bad habits and good habits alike become attached.

“It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on. This isn’t the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God’s kingdom.

But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified.”

Galatians 5:19-24 MSG

So, thinking a lot about attachment. For me, I get attached to specific things because of the heart-clench that happened when I made them, or received them, or met them – maybe there’s an underlying fear that that thrill – that knowing – won’t happen again. But that fear is based on the false assumption that I’m actually in charge of the making. I’m not. . Yes, there’s a level of acknowledgement required. Yes, this specific blend of reaching out can’t happen without me.

BUT, mostly, it’s a side- benefit of knowing the mystery of the Almighty. Intuitive, spontaneous, unrepeatable. I’m responsible for showing up (in that I need to be present for it to happen), but I don’t control it. The basic pep talk goes like this: show up, let the Holy move through you, then move on – there’s soooooo much more of God’s plan for you where that came from. . . He’s got every second covered.

Wake up.

Show up.

Go.