Focus Friday

I've lost focus in recent years...literally and figuratively as it turns out. My eyes have gradually been changing as I've gotten older. I keep a pair of reading glasses in several rooms of my house, in my purse, and in my coat pocket. More often than not, I'm grabbing for one pair or another so I can read the small print on a pill bottle, an ingredient in the kitchen, a piece of mail, or a phone number in the directory. If my cheaters are not handy, I'll try to squint and make out the words or numbers, but I usually have to give up in disgust and go find a pair of glasses or ask one of my children "What does that say?" I try not to do that too often because it just invites all kinds of ridicule and jokes about old age.

When I'm attempting to see something without my glasses I may think I know what something says, but I am often very surprised to see what is there when I finally use my glasses. "Oh, that's an 8, not a 6!" or "Blake, why is your principal sending me this notice about 'Lurch School?'" and it turns out to be the "Lunch Schedule." Now, that makes more sense.

I've finally resigned myself to the fact that I just need to keep a pair of readers handy and use them often. Why does it seem harder to get accustomed to that habit in my emotional and spiritual life as well? It seems that as I've gotten older it's become more and more difficult to keep my focus on the right things in life.

When I was young I would focus on one thing after another and set goals and usually accomplish them. Now that I'm more mature I find myself "piddling" many of my days away. It's not that I don't have things to do. There are tasks to get done, dreams to pursue, and stacks of things to go through all over my house, but I often drift through the day without much focus. I have a general feeling of restlessness and sometimes even a little angst as I flit from one thing to the next. The hours go by and I'm often shocked to find the day gone before I know it.

Do you ever feel that way?

I've decided to explore this idea each week on "Focus Friday." I invite you to join me as I look at how and why we sometimes lose our focus. We'll look at where our focus need to be, how to get it there, and how to keep it there. Things may look a little fuzzy at times, but hopefully our spiritual eyesight will get clearer as we go along. I invite your comments and ideas as we think about "Focus."

For this week I'll leave you with a verse to get us started:

"Great are the works of the LORD; They are pondered by all who delight in them. Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever." (Psalm 111:2-3 NIV)

Now that's something to focus on, isn't it?