Glean

I love the story of Ruth and Naomi. There are so many reasons why this relationship should have ended, but it didn't. Naomi encourages Ruth to move on, which ultimately sets her up for her next blessing, Boaz. It was in Boaz’s field that he found Naomi gleaning. Gleaning by definition means to gather after harvest or to extract from multiple sources. What are you gleaning? More importantly, where are you gleaning? We need to glean in fields that still have something after a harvest- meaning a source that has more than enough, overflow. We need to glean from sources that have the ability to produce our next blessing. We need to glean from people, situations, and relationships. We must be in the proper position, with the right people to glean. Ruth was with Naomi, in Boaz’s field. Where are you? Who are you with? Can you glean?

Reaping Your Harvest

I love this time of year. The leaves change color. The smell of cinnamon is everywhere. Pumpkin and sweet potato pies are available at your fingertips. It’s harvest time. It’s reaping season. Everything you sowed all year, you can reap that harvest. The question is, “what have you sown?” Have you sown discord or love? Have you sown chaos or order? What does your harvest look like? Is it bountiful and plenty? Tis the season to reap your harvest.

Yield

America has a history that is deep-rooted in agriculture. From the English settlers to Colonial America and throughout much of our existence, agriculture was the primary livelihood for most of the American population. America is still a major producer of corn, beef, and dairy. In agricultural societies, there were two important times of year: seedtime and harvest. Harvest is a time of reaping what has been sown. The yield of a harvest is a specific measurement of what has been produced. As we near this harvest season, we should reflect on our yield. What have the seeds we've sown produced this year? What does our harvest look like? What is our yield? 

Habits

A habit is a behavioral pattern acquired by repetition. It is your morning routine, and your nightly rituals. We all have something we do consistently, good or bad. Some of us are gym rats, while others of us are couch potatoes. Some of us are avid Starbucks drinkers, while others can't live out their Coke. My father-in-law does a self assessment every couple of years based on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven R. Covey.  Even in his retirement, he wants to make sure he is being effective. I can admit that I have a lot of bad habits, and I am making a genuine effort to be more deliberate and effective with my thoughts, resources, and actions. What do you habitually do? Do these habits help or hinder you? Are your habits effective? Below are The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and The 8th Habit which helps you transition from effectiveness to greatness:

Habit 1: Be Proactive
Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind
Habit 3: Put First Things First
Habit 4: Think Win/Win
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood
Habit 6: Synergize
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw

The 8th Habit: Find your voice and inspire others to find theirs

“Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny.”- Steven R. Covey