Lacking Discipline

I could easily launch into a long discourse about what the lack of discipline has done to American society.  A failure to let our "yes" be Yes! and our "no" be No! has led (in my opinion) to the personal, familial and national moral decline that we see today.

But, I am not about to start pointing my fingers at anyone, when I know full well that I am as guilty as the next.  Lack of discipline (on my part) has meant inconsistency in my parenting, my writing, my exercising, my eating and my communication with those I care about.

I blogged a number of days ago about how I really wanted to "unplug" in the after school hours.  I wanted the time in the afternoons and evenings to be free from electronic distraction so that I could give more focused attention to my children and husband.  I made it about 30 minutes that first afternoon before the phone calls/texts came in asking for help in sending emails and looking up other documents on-line.

Today for lunch, I pulled out a bowl of watermelon, intending to have a few pieces.  It now sits next to me totally empty.

Exercise goals?  Sure I've had them.  But don't look too hard around my house for the half-marathon medal.  It isn't here.

Dictionary.com defines one aspect of discipline this way: activity, exercise, or a regimen that develops or improves a skill; training.  I want to be consistent in exercise.  I want to develop a regimen that will help develop and improve the skills that I have.  I need training in many areas of my life.  This discipline gig is not for the faint of heart!

Neglecting to set boundaries in my own life will have very real consequences.  It may range from ill health to broken relationships.  The freedom of being an adult offers me the ability to play, eat, spend, etc. with little outside pressure to stop.  But, I don't ever want to live with the mantra that "rules are made to be broken."  Freedom is a blessing, but as you've undoubtedly heard (as it pertains to the Armed Forces), "Freedom is bought with a price."

It may appear that discipline has no place in this modern world, but I say "bring it on!"  It's uncomfortable, and I don't like it, but there is no question in my mind about its necessity. 

People who accept discipline are on the pathway to life, but those who ignore correction will go astray. Proverbs 10:17