In Focus

Great day! Besides it being the day my father was birthed into this world...woohoo! Way to go, Grandma! I was blessed with being able to stand-up paddle board with Mary this morning. We even made it through all the plant life without getting too entangled, and I only rammed into her once. Oops! I got to spend the afternoon enjoying other people’s creativity at an art festival in the Park with Marguerite. There weren’t too many headband left that we didn’t try on. So fun! Then I finished the evening off with Tom, Ron, Patty and Mary at a concert in a beautiful venue on the River. The weather and music was absolutely perfect. The music was performed by an Eagles tribute band from Canada, “Hotel California”. They were spectacular!  So many wonderful things to be thankful today; yet my mind and body keep battling. I want my body to be healthy. But I want to live like a normal American and enjoy going out to eat once in a while without getting sick. I want to get up and not have all my therapy routines to do. I want to just head to bed without all the many nightly routines, too. I want to shop and buy something without thinking, “Why am I buying this? Will I even live long enough to use it or enjoy it?” I want to plan next year’s vacation without wondering if I will be around or able to go on a vacation. (Wow! “I want. I want. I want. Selfish, selfish, selfish!) 🙄 Then I think, life could be short for any of us. We never know if we will have tomorrow. Numerous facets of life could change in the blink of an eye. So where are my priorities? What matters? What lasts? Definitely not the ice cream or pizza I’m salivating over. (Sure feels like my salads are everlasting though.) Definitely not the pretty bracelet or perfect shoes my eyes covet either. Although they sure are fun while they last! So I keep trying to refocus on what does last, fruit like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. My mom was a great example to me of those fleshed out. I don’t have the blessing of her physical presence here with me anymore, but I can still feel the fruit of her love, joy, peace, etc. Patience? Hmmm...that one could be up for debate though.m. 😉😂 She would own up to it, too, and be laughing hysterically as she reads this writing. Dad’s the patient one. I thought I was like him in those regards, then I became a teacher. Ha! (By the way, please don’t pray for me to have patience....please!😉) Anyways...a work in progress. That’s me. That’s probably you, too. Who doesn’t want joy in this society riddled with depression?! Who doesn’t want love, true love? Those are the “things” I truly want. So that is where I am trying to set my gaze, living in the Spirit. Moment by moment. Hopefully getting home and not being surround by the eye candy of vacation will make it a bit easier to focus on what really matters in the end. When mom left she didn’t take any of her material possessions with her. None of us will. Let us focus on what lasts. (John 15:16, Galatians 5:22-23)