What does this mean?

I've finally figured out (for now) that I have to answer the question, "What does this mean?" for more than just catechesis. I'm not even talking about how this question should be written on a sign and held up so many times a day when living with children. No, I mean how I have to answer this question when I want to change some habit or learn a new one.

Examples: What does it mean that I want to be more organized? or that I want to eat healthier? or that I want to lose weight or get in shape? or that I want to learn to take better pictures or edit them better? or that I want to spend more time in God's Word? or that I want to read more? or any number of other things?

All these questions I ask myself at various times and I'm sure others ask them of themselves. The only answer is to ask "what does this mean?" What does it mean that I want to be more organized or spend more time in God's Word or eat healthier or read more? The answer to this question then shows me how I have to make conscious decisions to meet the goal.

In other words if I want to eat healthier, what does that mean? Do I want to go vegan or do I just want to eat less sugar or drink more water or eat organic or eat more vegetables and less chips or what? And if I'm already drinking enough water each day (ha ha ha ha ha) and eat little to no sugar (ha ha ha ha ha ha ha) then maybe the answers are to eat less meat and more vegetables. If that is the answer this time to the question of what does it mean that I want to eat healthier, then I can make a more conscious decision in meal preparation to work towards this healthier eating. I can choose to fix vegetables with each meal, or even two.

If the answer to what does it mean that I want to spend more time in God's Word is to read my Bible more or pray more, then I can see when in my day I can do these things. And when the time comes, do it. If I miss a day, do it the next day.

If the answer to what does it mean that I want to lose weight or get in shape is to be healthier, then I look at what I can do it reach that goal. If I'm already exercising two or three times per week (ha ha ha ha ha ha) then maybe my goal will be to either do it longer those days or do it more days. Or maybe it will be to try some core strength training or try running instead of walking, or add lifting weights or simply try to do push-ups and true sit-ups. If I'm doing nothing in the exercise department, then maybe I will simply choose that I want to walk one tenth of a mile the first day and add another tenth each successive day. Or plan to go to the gym twice or three times per week.

I've always been more of the type to wonder why talk or think about it ad nausea, just do it. And when I'm done thinking and talking about it ad nausea (hee hee hee) answering "what does this mean?" is the way I "just do it."