Focus Friday: Let's Focus on Taking Things for Granted

Sometimes things happen that remind us of how much we take for granted in this life.

Yesterday I had a little pain when I put my contacts in. I blinked a bit and it seemed to get better. I didn't really notice much during the day, but last night we went to see a play at the elementary school.

The spotlights were on the fourth graders with speaking parts, but they would turn on the main lights when the younger grades would join them for many of the songs.

Every time those lights went on I would wince and felt pain in my right eye. When I got home I took my contacts out immediately and used my glasses instead. My eye was red and sore and it started to water as the night went on.

I went to bed, hoping it would be better in the morning, but no such luck. It was still red and sore, and began to water even more. I couldn't enjoy the sunny day because every time I got close to a window I had so much pain.

I finally called for an appointment with an eye doctor.

In the hours before I went in, my mind wandered a little into "What if?"

What if this is something serious and I lose my eyesight?

What if I couldn't see? How would I live? How would I write?

I knew it was possible. Many people live amazing, fulfilling lives even though they can't see. 

My mind went back to the movie "At First Sight," based on a true story about a man who had surgery to gain his sight. It's not the greatest movie, but I remembered how touched I was by a scene when Val Kilmer knows he is going to lose his sight again, so he goes to the library and pores over the National Geographic Magazines, seeing as much of the world as he can before he goes back to living without sight.

It just about made me cry, because I realized how much there is to see in this world, and how much I take my sight for granted.

The eye doctor prescribed me some antibiotics and steroids, so I should be fine, but I take lots of things for granted.

I can walk, talk, see, think, sing, read, write, work, play, eat, and drink.

Some people can't do some of those things. Some people can't do any of those things. Their abilities have been taken away by illness or an accident.

We need to work hard on not taking anything for granted, because we don't know when we may lose it.

We also need to try not to take anyone for granted, because we don't know when we may lose them.

God is always there for us. He's always with us, so we can go on even if we lose our physical abilities or if we lose a loved one. 

But until that happens, let's live thankful lives, not taking anything or anyone for granted.

"Oh, how sweet the light of day, And how wonderful to live in the sunshine! Even if you live a long time, don't take a single day for granted." (Ecclesiastes 11:7 The Message)

Do you take things for granted? How can focusing on God help you to live each day, thankful for your abilities and the people God has put in your life?

Focus Friday: Let's Focus on Thankfulness

We've just celebrated a special holiday. Thanksgiving. This is the time of year when we get more deliberate about thanking God for our families, friends, and all of our blessings. It's good to do that at this time of year, but I want us to focus today on how important it is to cultivate that thankful attitude all year long.

I love the devotional "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young. It seems like the Holy Spirit has something to say to me just about every day I read it. Lately the devotions have been talking about being thankful. The picture and quote above is from the devotions for November 24. I'd like to share another line or two from that same page:

"You give me thanks (regardless of your feelings), and I give you Joy (regardless of your circumstances). This is a spiritual act of obedience -- at times, blind obedience." (Jesus Calling, Nov. 24)

Isn't that amazing? It is so different from what most of the world thinks. Most people think that the only way they'll have joy is if they are free from problems, blessed with good health, and enjoying fulfilling relationships with everyone in their lives.

Jesus calls us to something that seems impossible. Thank Him for everything. Thank Him for the good things, but thank Him for the bad things, too. Thank Him for the hard times, for times of illness, for strained relationships. He has some purpose for them, even though we may never understand.

Only by choosing to be thankful can we experience true joy and peace inside. Note that I am not saying we should just put on a happy face and deny that what we may be going through is hard. Jesus understands if we are sad, fearful, angry, hurt, or just plain tired. We can't stop with those emotions, though. In obedience, blind obedience many times, we choose to give thanks and it helps us get our perspective back. We may not know why we are going through something, but choosing to give thanks will get us back to focusing on God instead of our situation. 

Focusing on Him will lead to peace and a joy inside that the rest of the world cannot hope to understand. That joy will shine out from your broken places and will be something beautiful that just may lead someone straight to Jesus. 

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 

                                                   (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV)

Do you give thanks in good times and in bad? How can focusing on God help you to choose to be thankful? 

*I highly recommend Sarah Young's devotional "Jesus Calling" (www.jesuscalling.com) and also Ann Voskamp's book "One Thousand Gifts" which challenges all of us to choose to be thankful, even for the hard things in life. (onethousandgifts.com)

Focus Friday: Let's Focus on Rebellion

Today we're focusing on rebellion. This is not a comfortable topic for me. I don't like to admit that I'm ever rebellious. I like others to think of me as a cooperative, helpful, compliant person. I seldom show my rebellious side to my friends and acquaintances, but my family sees it some days. I don't want to clean the bathroom so it goes for way too many days until it really needs it. I get ticked with my hubby about something minor and I give him the cold shoulder for a while until I get over it. I don't feel like doing our taxes so I wait until close to the deadline.

Last week I told you how I was switching to a new med for depression. Well, this week I have felt pretty good as I've been tapering off Lexapro. So good, in fact, that I called my doctor today and asked if I could try just staying on 10 mg of it for a while and see how it goes. The nurse said she would ask her and call me back. When she did, she firmly stated that my doctor wanted me to go on the Cymbalta as we had talked about at my last visit. "But...but..." I stammered. "Couldn't I just try it for a week and then I can start the Cymbalta if I need to?" The nurse repeated my doctor's instructions again and stressed the fact that we had planned this at my last appointment. My doctor noted that my depression was worse on 10 mg of Lexapro and that's why we were changing to a new med. I said okay and hung up, but I was very disappointed. My thoughts have been fighting all afternoon: 

You really need to obey your doctor's instructions and go on the new medicine.

Maybe I could just try it for a week and then talk to her again when I still feel good...then she'll understand that I don't need to switch.

Notice that the good advice is from outside (You...) while the rebellious thoughts just focus on myself (I...). I've heard lots of stories about people who go off their medicines because they feel good and then they get into a worse mess because the depression or other mental health problem comes back worse than ever. In my heart, I know I'm silly to think that I know better than an experienced psychiatrist (they must get so tired of hearing their patients question their instructions!). So, I will obey and go on the new medicine and I'll keep talking to my doctor until we figure out what works best for me.

During devotions yesterday (February 26) I read from "Jesus Calling" and was struck by the reminder that all forms of worry are an act of rebellion: doubting Jesus' promises to care for us. Whenever we worry about something we need to repent and return to Jesus. I've written about this before, but I don't think I've learned this lesson yet. It seems so natural to worry about all sorts of things. It can't be a sin, can it? 

The truth is, God tells us not to worry and promises His peace when we pray and turn our worries over to Him as we thank Him. Thank Him for depression? Thank Him for a disobeying child? Thank Him for a chronic illness? Thank Him for an uncertain future? Thank Him for financial problems? Yes, as hard as it may be, we can choose to thank God for all of those things and anything else we're tempted to worry about. Let's focus on obeying when we feel that spirit of rebellion rising up in us.

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you." (Psalm 32:8 NIV)

Do you rebel against good advice sometimes? Would you rather do exactly what you want to do? How can focusing on God and thanking Him instead of worrying bring us more peace?