green flossers and good intentions
The ziplock bag filled with green flossers caught my eye this morning, and reminded me that good intentions aren’t enough.
Two weeks ago when I packed for this trip, I deliberately counted out enough flossers for every day I’d be gone. Even though I don’t normally floss everyday.
Oh, I wish I did. But the reality is… I don’t.
Yet I put 19 flossers in a ziplock and tossed them in my toiletry bag. Somehow simply bringing them made me feel better about my oral hygiene habits.
As if the desire alone is enough to get the job done.
But as I repacked my toiletry bag today, I couldn’t escape the truth that I didn’t floss any more than I normally do. And that I was bringing 16 flossers back home with me.
All my good intentions got me was a false sense of accomplishment at the start and a guilty conscience at the end.
Though I started off feeling quite proud of myself, the end result is a sense of failure. Over something silly like flossing.
But that’s because this is actually about something far bigger than dental care.
It’s really about self-discipline. And follow-through. And genuinely doing something about those things I want to do something about.
Because good intentions alone won’t get me very far.
So excuse me… I need to go floss…
ouch.
so, SO true, Alece.
@bajanpoet says:
“It’s really about self-discipline. And follow-through. And genuinely doing something about those things I want to do something about. Because good intentions alone won’t get me very far.”
Thanks Alece! Here’s to follow through! I took a step in that direction today myself. I find it a major bad habit of mine not to finish stuff I started… and even NOW I have been rehearsing how to get out of something that I’ve been doing for over a year and now feel like I want to quit…
So …. it’s a hard nut to crack right now, but…. thanks anyway…..
I love how honest you are! I’m the same way with flossing and the. Same with packing things I want to do. How many times I have packed my bible and a devotional knowing I wouldn’t make time for it on vacation but feeling better just having it along. Or I do this with nailpollish and games too.
On another note. Remember all the posts and comments about not being a hand washer after going to the bathroom? Well I have never been but always felt dirty walking out when others were washing. So yesterday I noticed that I didn’t even care. I think its due to the fact that at the grit there are so many non washers that there must be other fake washers out there too. So in stead of feeling guilty I now hold my head high and maybe my actions will inspire other non washers to stand up for themselves and say ” I didn’t pee on my hands! I shouldn’t need to wash to make someone else feel better!”
Anyways I think of you whenever I don’t wash my hands, I hope that’s ok ;-)
The connection to self-discipline is very insightful – nice “aha” moment for me. Thanks, Alece.
Wow…I LOVE this. This is actually one of my favorite posts!! :-)
That could have been me. It IS me with things like exercise, eating habits, house cleaning, prioritzing, and yes, even flossing. (and I have a drawer full of those individual green flossers too!)
This statement is gold:
“All my good intentions got me was a false sense of accomplishment at the start and a guilty conscience at the end.”
I really hope you have enjoyed your vacation Alece!!!
Me, too! Self-discipline. Working on that and on a time-line, in that I need to get our belongings sold, the rest packed up and moved. My plan, with His help, is to follow this vision I have of getting it all done gradually so I am not overwhelmed at the end. Yep, self-discipline. I want to pull the “lack of self-discipline” weed out of my spiritual garden. :)
Love you Alece and missing you bunches!
I’m impressed that you flossed three times. Not sure how you managed that with Kass in the bathroom…
The American Dental Association says they appreciate the way you increase their workload. ;)
@PrudyChick says:
I live my life full of good intentions.
I intend to eat better. I intend to be more loving, less selfish. I intend to read my Bible every day this week.
The end of the week comes and I’ve devoured a couple bags of M&M’s, I’ve been more selfish than usual, and didn’t even think about my Bible. I struggle with the whole self-discipline thing. Self-control doesn’t even live on the same block as me.
Seriously, when is Jesus coming back??!!!?!
@pa3cia says:
self discipline. eeeeek.
i said i would exercise this morning. i ended up sleeping in. LOL. so much for good intentions.
Yes. I sigh plenty at this type of thing. Me flossing (or even brusing, ahem), making my kids brush daily, working on letters, writing, reading, etc thru the summer/school yr, having one on one time, spending less time online, more time cleaning or whatever. I always fail. And what I fail most at is to see my accomplishments, the things I did do well, or at all. But then again, what others see in me is what I didn’t do. So why should I see any differently?
My battle.
im with you on this one. I always build my good intentions up only to find failure at the other end of it. Praise the Lord that He looks at us and still calls us “beloved and spotless”.
http://realitymessages.com/ the August 8th message on this website really spoke to me and I thought of it when I read your blog…if you have time, enjoy it! =)
@christielici0us says:
Thanks for the reminder about good intentions. In the grand scheme of things, they’re only a start. I’ll admit, I don’t have the self-discipline I need in a lot of instances. I have all sorts of plans and ideas, but lack the motivation and follow-through.
But I do floss everyday! ;)
@hannahruthie says:
I’m a “brush, floss, brush, mouth wash” kind of girl.
But only because I’m OCD about having a clean mouth.
Discipline? Yikes! When it comes to self-discipline I’m a “sit on the couch and pray that I have the strength to get up… tomorrow or the next day” kind of girl.
Thanks for the reminder. I really needed it. I have two weeks left of summer work and discipline is getting harder.
@kamriereed says:
I hate flossing. I have no idea how many times I have said that I needed to floss and never do. You are exactly right when you say having some intention to floss or do whatever is a false sense of hope. Sometimes I think I lean on these false senses of hope util I am faced with the problem unable to avoid it (like going to the dentist) and I find myself hurrying to get it done for that one check up. I soon realize this does nothing for me. I mean am I really growing or am I just squeezing by till the next appointment?
Mmm…
I related more to this post than I’d like to admit.
Discipline. Darn.
Will I ever get it?!
I can really relate to what you said about the feeling of false accomplishment at the beginning and guilt at the end.
Lately I’ve been sitting under some really good teaching about this exact thing. How desiring something, or having good intentions, isn’t enough. That you have to purpose in your heart what your “non-negotiables” are, do them, and tell you flesh to shut up when it protests.
The Holy Spirit has been showing me that I can be (cough)…… lazy. Oh, joy! And that I rely too much on my feelings. I’m too much in the habit of doing the whole “self-analysis” thing to see if I feeeeel like reading my Bible, praying, exercising, or whatever. “I don’t want to be legalistic….” Please. Like I do this if I want to go shopping or to the movies, or sleep in!
As I’ve been making these changes and digging in my heels and becoming more disciplined, the difference has just been like night and day. Ding ding! I think I just heard the “I think she’s starting to get it” bell.
(Note to self: Floss tonight, whether you feel like it or not!!!)
Flossed or not, it’s good to have you back!
I have done this on basically every trip. I too always pack my floss. AND the worst of it is, I just got my braces off a few years ago and I swore to being the hygiene queen in absolute GLEE of the new freedom. And now look at us. Post braces and back to our old selves.
@bernardshuford says:
Yeah, I do this every day. Every time I come to work, I have good intentions. When I go home, I feel like an absolute failure because I didn’t carry them out. When we go on vacation, I have good intentions. When we come home, I feel like a flop because I screw all that up, too. It has gotten to the point where I’m frustrated with even trying because I always seem to fail.
oh Mammabird Alce how I love your heart..I’m chewing on this, taking it in and missing your heart..keep growing, keep pressing in and dang gina..I just love your blog..I’ve been missing out on reading it lately ..love YOU!
missing you… so it’s nice to have you back, Flossy :)
I have a new nickname for you “Scooter McFlossy” – I rather like it :)
((( Hugging you virtually friend – a beeeeeeeeg hug )))
@Melissa_Rae says:
I love how positive Lindsey’s comment was. Instead of focusing on the fact that you didn’t floss everyday she recognized that as a non-flosser you flossed three times. :) Haha! We all need friends like that.
UGH! Thanks for the post! Flossing, gotta do it.
@tamhodge says:
ouch.
ridiculously deep post.
this penetrated far deeper into my mind with more than just a flossing reminder.
what? that was about flossing?
seriously, that lack of discipline weed (to borrow an analogy) is ALL OVER my garden. and you’re right about the guilt. instead of practicing discipline, i prefer to beat myself up.
my 3-year old flosses better and more often than me. she loves to let the dentist know.
I avoid answering the question. come on, they know!
why put me on the spot, right? :)
Oh I am so glad I’m not the only one that does that! Thank you for the reminder as well. :-) My self-discipline stinks at times.
You are adorable. That’s one of my favorite endings of a blog…
This was really, really good Frass.
And I miss you so much tonight my heart hurts. Hugging you from here.
“All my good intentions got me was a false sense of accomplishment at the start and a guilty conscience at the end.”
I wonder how this plays out in terms of social media and ministry.
We broadcast with the intention of community and engagement but we are probably only making things worse.
*cough*newpost*cough*
we miss you. ;o)