3/19/13 by Jeff Emmerson

I’ve got way too many things to focus on! It is literally mind boggling how much stuff we have to attend to each day, week and month.

Here’s my typical “focus” list, things always on my plate or in my mind.

·       Kids!! Homework projects can be very focus intensive. Building Styrofoam models of castles or Spanish missions, dissecting apples to chart the oxidization of the flesh as it turns brown, making educational board games. Then there is the challenge of recalling 7th grade algebra; is this a noun or a pronoun; what is a parallelogram etc? Wow, that takes some focus.

·       How about health! Yes, I watch my blood pressure and cholesterol, watching my diet, exercising and doing heart healthy things. Approaching 50, this takes on even more of my focus as each doctor visit seems to get more involved and the tests more elaborate.

·       Work! Now that takes up some brain power. 40 employees to keep stable and productive, way too many bosses for me to make happy, insane customers. There goes 10 hours of the day in focus time.

·       Relationships! One must tread carefully when dealing with significant others. It can be a minefield of potential hurt and disappointment if less than loving care and compassion are offered. You had better pay attention to what you say and do! And pay attention to what she says!

With so much on our plates, so many aspects of life to focus on, it can be difficult to set time aside for God, to sit in silent communion with our Lord, basking in his focus on us. We are too involved with focusing on our own lives to allow ourselves to enjoy the focus He has on us.  But time with God is essential to enable us to better focus on all the other things in our lives. With Him by our sides and in our hearts and thoughts as we navigate each day’s trials, we are better able to juggle and balance the ups and downs of the day. We are strengthened and nourished by His focus on us, but we need to take the time to fill up on His Holy strength and love. Algebra is so much easier when I ask God for patience and access to long term memory. Work is easier to handle when I keep compassion and love in front of me when dealing with employees. It is so much easier to maintain a healthy heart rate with the Lord holding me through tough physical temptations that might not be good for me. And how much more can we love our wives or husbands when we bask in the love of God.

Make God our first focus of every day and you will find that you are looking through a different lens that will be clearer, sharper and filled with a love and compassion for life, and everyone and everything in it.