FRIDAY FOCUS: A REFOCUS !!!

Anyone having trouble with focus?

Is it a physical condition? Mind? Spiritual? All the above?!

Whatever the reason, I'm sill dealing with it! 

Living without focus is like living in a gray world! Think cataract surgery needed.

I know where to go....God's Word. Embarrassingly enough, while I'm there I can easily begin planning supper or lack there of said plan. ARGGG!

Focus? Surely focus + focus + focus = REFOCUS

 

Growing weary outwardly this past week with my "distracted" mind malady, I asked Him to renew me inwardly day by day....with a spiritual refocus. 

A focus of hope-filled trust (Romans 15:13) and firmness of stance. (1 Corinthians 15:58) 

It was not a "one and done" attempt.

However, this acceptance of the need to refocus calmed my heart and filled me with hope.

ABOUND IN HOPE

Yesterday's F.O.C.U.S. verse was Romans 15:13 as I was praying for a Ukrainian gal who is very much in need of the God of all hope.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so by the power of the Holy spirit you may abound in hope.

I also visited a widow lady at her new assisted living facility and there on her counter was Romans !5:13, in part. 

My Monday meditation had certainly included that but it even went beyond as I applied the F.O.C.U.S. formula. Because of my meditation time, I knew how to "fix my eyes on the unseen" part of the verse. Believing and abounding.

Beyond that it was like a blessing from the Lord...a God wink, of sorts from Bobbie's kitchen counter! Close to skywriting from above.

Needless to say. I am now abounding in hope for an answered prayer from Ukraine.

F-O-C-U-S

FOCUS on........God's Word everyday!

Acrostics can help me do just that. FOCUS!

TROUNCE TEMPTATION!

For worry-warts of the world their besetting temptation is often WORRY! "What if's" invade their minds in subtle ways and not so subtle ways. The recent Collierville shootings not so subtle. Prayer ensued immediately!

"Stewing" over things with outcomes beyond one's control can seep in and catch him off guard. Fear ensues.

Such thoughts require immediate action. 

A battle of the mind....a temptation that must be dealt with before it can reach the heart and begin to permeate every action. 

Thoughts reflecting worry are stepping stones to temptation & need to be taken captive to destroy those worldly arguments. (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Focus is needed! Remember Who is sovereign in this world!

Remain............................

F IXED

O N

C HRIST'S

U LTIMATE

S OVEREIGNITY

Thoughts are okay when when brought into obedience of Christ. He's the only One who can trounce our temptations. 

Morgan says, "Our ability to trounce temptation is in direct proportion to our fellowship with Christ. (All To Jesus, Day 269, emphasis mine) 

So when the devil knocks, let Christ open the door!

"FIX-IT" MENTALITY

11/30/10 Is it a female thing? Or just a Dotsy thing? I am forever trying to “fix” situations so that I, or my loved ones, don’t feel the brunt of pain. My cuppa mental-i-TEA is sweetened with a spoonful of "fix-it" and sweet milk each day! Isn't that what all mothers drink in large quantities!

I’ve made it a life-long practice to run interference for others. When the kids were young it was so like me to have them come with their boo-boos so Mommy could kiss it & make it better. Even though I know children and adults alike learn in the midst of struggle and hardship, there is still this part of me that wants to minimize the pain. 

Problems are part of life---the first 5 words in this morning’s Jesus Calling entry. That was followed by the admonition not to let “fixing things” be a top priority. The spiritual flip to that was, “Talk with Me……rather than trying to fix everything, ask Me….” I was so convicted about this fallacy in my life that I talked to Karla about it during the beginning of 3rd period. (11am EST) Returning home around 4:30, the phone rang and the tone of Larry’s voice let me know something was very wrong. Josh has been in a wreck (around 11 am EST) he said---don’t worry, he’s going to be all right. 

 

He’s been at the hospital for tests and Megan has been with him. He’ll call us back later with more info though tests show no broken bones or concussion. Then Larry explained the wreck and I got weak and woozy and scared just hearing about it. 

Witnesses feared the worst for the rider.

Josh was on his Vespa, which he rides in his Brooklyn neighborhood between home & work, to ease traffic and parking problems. A car ran a red light and Josh saw it coming. He leaned the Vespa over not to be hit upright, I guess. The car ran over Josh and the Vespa but thankfully Josh stayed between the wheels of the car. The handlebars caught and Josh had the presence of mind to push away so that he wouldn’t be drug under the car wheels as his bike was. Both he and the Vespa were dragged ‘til the car wheels were jammed. 

Though weak and scrapped, Josh, much to the amazement of bystanders, crawled out from under the car. An ambulance was called and Josh was taken to the hospital, as stated earlier. While waiting on Josh to call us back, my thoughts have gone in so many directions. Josh whose baby pictures I had just put on the blog 15 days ago has had a close enough brush with death that it leaves me sick at my stomach. 

I can’t fix it. I can’t make it all better. But............I do know the One who can. 

....let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, (Hebrews 12:1b-2a) Let go and F.O.C.U.S. on the One who is in control.