Daily Writing Prompt for April 28th…

Daily writing prompt
When do you feel most productive?
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I feel most productive when I’m substitute teaching in the public schools. I’ve been in the classroom long enough (44 years), so I feel comfortable there. With the advent of technology in the classroom, there is a lot less direct teaching and more monitoring of students. I feel competent in most of the technology that is being used in classrooms today.

Daily Writing Prompt – April 25th

Daily writing prompt
What topics do you like to discuss?
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I like to discuss anything of a spiritual nature. This would include, but is not limited to various spiritual practices and beliefs. I have learned there are many ways people perceive God and yes, those who don’t believe there is a God(s). It’s all quite fascinating to me.

I also love to discuss anything about numbers. I like to find out what people’s favorite numbers are and the stories that go along with them.

Atomic Habits by James Clear: Chapter Six Summary

Chapter Six Summary: “Motivation is Overrated: Environment Often Matters More

  • Small changes in context can lead to large changes in behavior over time.
  • Every habit is initiated by a cue. We are more likely to notice cues that stand out.
  • Make cues of good habits obvious in your environment.
  • Gradually, your habits become associated not with a single trigger, but with the entire context surrounding the behavior. The context becomes the cue.
  • It is easier to build new habits in a new environment because you are not fighting against old cues.

Atomic Habits by James Clear: Chapter Five Summary

Chapter Five Summary: “The Best Way to Start a New Habit”

  • The first law of behavior change is to make it obvious.
  • The two most common cues are time and location.
  • Creating an implementation intention is a strategy you can use to pair a new habit with a specific time and location.
  • The implementation formula is: I will (behavior) at (time) in (location).
  • Habit stacking is a strategy you can use to pair a new habit with a current habit.
  • The habit stacking formula is: After I (current habit), I will (new habit).

Atomic Habits by James Clear: Chapter Four Summary

Chapter Four Summary – The Man Who Didn’t Look Right

  • With enough practice, your brain will pick up on the cues that predict certain outcomes without consciously thinking about it.
  • Once our habits become automatic, we stop paying attention to what we are doing.
  • The process of behavior change always starts with awareness. You need to be aware of your habits before you can change them.
  • Pointing-and-Calling raises your level of awareness from a nonconscious habit to a more conscious level by verbalizing your Scorecard is a simple exercise you can use to become more aware of your behavior.

Daily Writing Prompt

Daily writing prompt
How do you use social media?
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For the past forty-plus days, I have stayed away from social media in observance of Lent. Today is supposed to be my first day back. When I’m posting, I share readings from devotionals that I read each day, funny puns I find, and pictures of my comings and goings each day. I also use it to keep up with friends and family.

Atomic Habits by James Clear: Chapter Three Summary

Chapter Three Summary – How to Build Better Habits in Four Simple Steps

  • A habit is a behavior that has been repeated enough times to become automatic.
  • The ultimate purpose of habits is to solve the problems of life with as little energy and efforts as possible.
  • Any habit can be broken down into a feedback loop that involves four steps: cue, craving, response, and reward.
  • The Four Laws of Behavior Change are a simple set of rules we can use to build better habits. They are: (1) make it obvious, (2) make it attractive, (3) make it easy, (4) make it satisfying.

Easter Sunday Sermon Take-Aways

April 20, 2025 – Easter Service – First Presbyterian Church, Hickory N.C.

Easter Sermon – “Finding Easter” – Rev. Dr. Richard Floyd

“If we were to make the table the most sacred object of furniture in every home, in every church, in every community, our faith would quickly regain its power, and our world would quickly become a better place.” – Leonard Sweet

from Luke 24:13-35 – “There eyes were kept from recognizing him…” ( Emmaus Road); “The women had seen a vision of angels…” (when they saw the tomb was empty); “He vanished from their sight…” (the two angels they saw at the tomb)

2000 years after Jesus’ death and resurrection, we keep coming back to this story.

Questions to ask ourselves, “What am I searching for today?” and perhaps more importantly, “Where do I need to look?”

The message of Easter is that Easter will find us, even when we can’t find it. Simply by walking on the road and sharing bread with a stranger.

Th Emmaus road we are walking on when life becomes unsettled. The Emmaus Road story didn’t happen in church.

Heaven is a table that stretches into the sunrise, where all are welcome.

We have been found, whether or not we’ve found what we’re looking for….