As a kid, I loved this time of year: BACK TO SCHOOL! 

By the end of August, I was always ready to leap into a new school year with a new teacher, brand-new books, and fresh supplies. By Labor Day, 12 weeks of sweltering summer had driven me to intense boredom, and I looked forward to seeing my friends again and getting back into old routines.

Routine is funny like that. When we’re in the middle of it, we might roll our eyes and think it’s anything but pleasant—such as getting up early every morning, showering, rushing through breakfast, and heading off to work. That’s a routine many of us think we’d love to ditch. And yet, often when folks retire, they find to their enormous surprise that the “drudgery” of routine is what they miss most of all. 

So the next time you think that something is just a boring routine, take a closer look. It might be a blessing you’ve taken for granted. 

And the opportunity to start NEW routines is often a similar blessing. Even if you don’t have kids heading back to school—consider picking up a new routine. Maybe read Scripture for 15 minutes every morning. Or enjoy some prayer time to start your day. 

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23,24).