Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Creepy Distractions (Letters to My Father - March 12, 2014)

Dear Father,

Please forgive me for letting distractions creep into our precious quiet time. At the same time, You have blessed me so much with the opportunities to lead a Bible Study at H.L.'s office and witness to others. Thanks be to You!

Love,
Dwight
March 12, 2014



Dear Reader,
(Back to 2014, as I return to sharing letters from past to present.)

Yes, distractions creep and they are creepy; both are true. A creepy distraction to me is one I didn't see coming, such as an unexpected bill, car trouble, or suddenly being extra busy at work.

Sound like life? Yes, exactly. Life is full of creepy distractions. We get used to them being around. We expect them and sometimes even look for them. And before you know it, we're not spending any time on doing the things we'd love to be doing.

Perhaps, it takes a lot of effort, leaving us feel like we have to go out of our way to do them. Perhaps, they're not appreciated as much by someone close to us. Perhaps, we're tired because it takes effort to refocus on those things and life has us feeling drained.

Distractions are able to creep in because it's tough to stay focused when there are fires to put out, real or imagined, and expectations to meet. What we'd love to do whispers in a noisy world. Rather, the screams and cuteness in the world catch our attention. Yet, the clock keeps ticking.

At these times, I try to remember Someone worth listening to is whispering something I'd really love to hear. It's precious. It's the things that are most important but not urgent (in the world's eyes) that matter most.

I need to make them urgent for me. I must remember to give time and attention to those things I love, and to simply let the distractions lose their creepiness, whether adorable or scary.

Take care, listen,
Dwight

... a voice from the cloud said, 
"This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." 
(Matthew 17:5b)

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