Are we driven by distraction?

My puppy has a nickname – Marley. My pup is neither male nor named Marley, but those who know her know she has a penchant for getting into things. She is curious and, well, let’s call it “involved” in her surroundings.

Sadie (that’s her real name) doesn’t destroy things in my house like the Marley of the movie “Marley and Me.” She does tear things up that are hers – a stuffed toy, a tennis ball. My hand is a handy chew toy. But that doesn’t last long because she is easily distracted.

When I take her outside she is more likely than not to head off to chase leaves whipping through the yard courtesy of our Wyoming winds. A lovely little bunny could be sitting right in front of Sadie and the pup will chase the leaves – as long as the rabbit doesn’t move.

A few of us were talking Sunday after church and the subject flitted to our dogs and the fact they are easily distracted. The dog in the movie “Up” brought instant laughter as one of us said, “squirrel” and we all laughed and looked. See that dog would be going about his everyday business and suddenly be distracted by one of those smaller furry creatures. Just as quickly, the dog would be back on whatever task he was undertaking.

I am a lot like that dog, and I am guessing so are you.

We keep ourselves busy doing our work – we take care of the kids, are attentive to our spouse, go to work or school and church – and every now and then our heads jerk to the side and we see IT. “Squirrel” (or something equally silly) takes up every available space in our brain and for a time we can focus on nothing else.

I find this happens all the time. I will be cruising at a good pace, doing what I need to do and suddenly an errant thought invades. While listening to something important I am suddenly wondering what time the football game starts. While driving my van I have an idea for something to write. While I am writing I get an idea for writing something different. Most writers I have talked to find that last one to be true. Our brains are constantly writing only not on paper; then we are constantly trying to remember what it is that we didn’t get written down. We live our lives in a constant state of “squirrel!”

Paul addresses this problem with focus and distraction in the book of Philippians. In chapter three he warns about things to look out for – those who do not think as we do, things we think are good for us but really take our focus off what God wants for us. They may very well be good things but not what we should focus on.

The goal is found in verse 10 –“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”

A goal is something we strive for, and from which we must try not to be distracted. As Paul says in verses 13 and 14, “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

The words “taken hold” translate to “apprehended” in the King James. Have you been apprehended by the things of God? Are you living life distracted? Are you on a perpetual “squirrel hunt?”

The squirrels and swirling leaves in our lives are not going to go away. We all must find a way to stay focused. I am not sure what all that entails for me. I would love to know how you accomplish this goal. Feel free to share it with me by emailing me at cshroyer@pinebluffspost.com or editor@pinebluffspost.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

It's Sunday, and I am ...

It's Sunday morning. Listening to Ken Ham preach at Calvary Fort Lauderdale on the Internet. Ready for church. Hoping I can stay awake.
I got to bed much later than I usually do, then I was awake a lot. Each time I woke up the same song was going through my brain. I couldn't believe it! Even when I got up this morning no matter what I am doing that song keeps pounding its way through every thought.
The song?
"Little Lion Man" by Mumford & Sons. I don't get it.
I like the song. I love the group. Amazing instrumentals. Superb musicianship. But why that song?
I do have the disc playing in the van. But when I came in last night that isn't the song that was playing.
This is the part going through my head:
"Weep for yourself, my man, you'll never be what is in your heart/weep little lion man,/ you're not as brave as you were at the start/rate yourself and rake yourself, take all the courage you have left/wasted on fixing all the problems that you made in your own head"
Just what is that supposed to mean? Why this lyric? Why this morning?
How in the world am I supposed to stay awake in church AND listen to this song in my head AND pay attention?
The chorus admits fault and adds the "speaker" really f***ed it up this time. Uh huh.
Makes me wonder.
I know God uses anything and everything at His disposal (which is, well...everything and anything) to get our attention. To make Himself known in whatever state we are in.
I don't know where I am heading these days. Big change is coming. Okay. It has come before and I welcomed it gladly. Not so sure this time, but it will be fine.
I don't have a desire to continue doing what I do for the rest of my life. Yet I am afraid to move in the direction I really want go in. Fear and insecurity rage that people will reject what I do. What I should care about is if I am pleased, but more importantly that God is pleased with what I do.
The real change that is coming is not just my job. Guess I better get ready.

Iron Sharpens Iron - Taking a lesson from password protection

I have so many Internet accounts! And each has a different password. That’s for safety, you know. At least that’s what they tell us from the “offices” of Internet-land.
The problem for me, and others I’ve discovered, is that it is just plain hard to remember all those passwords. And personal identification numbers – don’t want to leave those out! Every account needs a different number or series of numbers and letters and we are not supposed to write them down. Huh? How are we supposed to remember them if we don’t jot them down somewhere?
I have a boatload of scribbles all over the place that have these passwords on them. I don’t think I have anything to fear from an Internet robber though. I can’t remember what the passwords are for when I run across them, and nine times out of 10 I have attempted to log on to whatever site and been denied. Then the process begins again. Send an email to myself to allow myself to create a new password for that account that I use so incredibly often that I can’t remember how to access it.
I’m not overly sure they should put technology into some of our hands!
I have one password for one site that I doubt I will ever change. I use the account fairly often so I remember the password; and it is not what I intended it to be so it sticks even better in my aging grey matter.
The password is supposed to read “roadsigns” in a combination of letters, numbers and symbols. Note the words “supposed to.” I don’t know if it was a Freudian slip or a God-intended “mistake” or just my fingers not finding enough characters, but my password really reads “roadsins.” Unfortunate leaving out that “g.” Totally messes up my point.
The idea came to me as I wasted time staring at a photo I took several years ago of the sun rising and burning off a dense fog that hung over a farmers’ field. A stand of trees is in the right corner and in the foreground is a highway guardrail. When I took the photo God impressed upon me the importance of guardrails and road signs in our lives. So looking at the photo, deep in thought about what my new password should be, I thought, “Oh, road signs! Good reminder!”
Yeah. So is “road sins.”
Whenever I type that password I am reminded of the sins I commit each day on the road through my life. Not occasional sins; daily sins. It’s something we all do. That little lie to your wife – “That dress looks great, honey” – when telling the truth is right and what she really wants. Or, “the check’s in the mail,” said as you write it out and slip it in the envelope.
Marginal, I know. Sin, no doubt.
Sometimes as I travel and try to avoid the “road sins” I think I am more aptly identified with a pinball pinging off the guardrails and careening all over the road with no sense of direction. And though my photo clearly shows a rising sun illuminating the start of day, I find many days there may be little to no light on the road I am on – a definite detour, intended or not. There is light to illuminate the road signs.
“Your Word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path” (Psalm 119:105).
It’s so neat that the Word is our light, our lamp and our sword. We have the proper tools to use as we try to follow the road signs while trying not to commit road sins. You always need the right tools when your car breaks down. The Bible is certainly the right tool when your life breaks down.
God is the right One to post your road signs, the One who knows where you need guard rails. And He can take care of those nasty potholes caused by road sins. Potholes do major damage and are so deceptive – could be a quarter inch deep or a foot deep. You really don’t know until you drive through it. Life’s potholes caused by road sins are the same - you never know how deep it goes until you step into one. You could just get your shoes a little wet, but you could also fall in and be up to your eyeballs in messy, dirty muck.
So here’s the lesson for this week – when you take to the streets watch for road signs that will direct you away from road sins. Should be able to keep clean that way; and you just might be able to assist a broken down fellow traveler.

puppies and paying bills

Doesn't seem like puppies and paying bills would have much in common, but that is what my day will look like today - playing with my new puppy and paying bills.
The paying bills thing is a pain in the rear that must get done. Some I resent as they do a hard press for more money than I can pay them. So sorry I don'thave insurance and I spent that one day in the hospital for which you would like now to bleed me dry. Still isn't going to get you paid faster.
As for the puppy, the new baby is Sadie. She is an 8-week-old chocolate lab and I adore her. Playing with her will be my reward for getting my bills paid!
Sadie came to live with me as my last kiddo and her Guide Dog, Tatiana, are preparing to move out on their own. Now we can have play dates!!!
I am so proud of Meg for pursuing a place of her own. She is working hard to get her new place livable, which always makes it more your own and worth it. Only a few blocks away from my place, so walking the dogs back and forth have great rewards!
I also have to do home work today. Response posts, a quiz and getting a paper written have to be done, some by tomorrow and some by Monday. Smart thing to do is just hunker down and get busy. So, with another reward in mind I will take the plunge and get the posts done this morning and maybe the quiz. Then AFTER the OSU game (Go Bucks!) I can work on the paper.
Sounds like a plan.
It is a beautiful Saturday morning. Sun is out, clouds are fluffy, not supposed to be horribly hot. Sounds like a perfect day!

The need to post

Read a blog by Tina Forkner this morning. She talked about her blog and defined it as one in which she writes about random topics.
Me, too. I write about random topics. I also write randomly. I need to write more.
So here I am, starting to write the blog again. I will also make a concerted effort to post my faith page column each week here as well.
This will mean taking a few minutes to add one more thing to my schedule. I think it is an important thing though; well worth my moments.
For anyone reading this who is not up-to-date, I am working full-time, going to school full-time via Internet, adding a puppy to my household, helping my youngest move into her own place and training a new employee. I am also getting ready for a vacation.
The van isn't working so great right now, but all is well in other areas of my life so that is a nice change.
Trying to change my focus and still keep focused.