One minute

You know when something happens and you forget about everything else to focus on that one thing?  It could be bad news, like someone is sick or a child has an emergency or you yourself have a medical crisis or a host of other things.  Or, it could be something happy like you just found out you are expecting a baby, you have to give a speech, or you’ve won the lottery (don’t we all wish?). 

Well, the point is, for a period of time, your attention is laser focused.  You have the ability to shut all else out and focus on this one thing.  It’s amazing how our minds work. 

But usually, we are not in this state.  I know that I am usually trying to do many things and not doing any one thing 100%.  I mean, how much have we heard lately about people texting while driving! Scary!

I think this is what Jesus was referring to when he said , Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind.           –Luke 10:27

We shouldn’t love God the way we tend to listen to the kids; half listening, half writing lists.  I heard a quote from a child that said, “Mommy, I want you to listen to me” and the mom said, “Oh honey, I’m listening” and the child said, “I want you to listen with your eyes.”

We shouldn’t love God sort of, sometimes, when it’s convenient.  We should always love Him.  We should be present for Him, pay attention, stop multitasking to thank Him.

HOW IS THIS HUMANLY POSSIBLE?

Who has time with Twitter, Facebook, Linked In, MySpace…the internet can be like the black hole for me.  I sit down for a “minute” and two hours later I’m still sitting there.  So that means I actually do have time to pray, read the Bible, go to church, whatever it is but I’d rather change my profile picture on Facebook????

I go for days being busy and wrapped up and hurried and then something makes me stop and think.  When I’m aware, I see how ridiculous this is but I keep doing it.  It’s kind of like food.  I mean, seriously, after Halloween, I was acting like I’ll never see another miniature candy bar again so I should hurry up and eat them ALL!  Even when I’m eating I’m hurrying…I’m not sure if that’s so no one sees me stealing their candy or if it’s because I know if I stop and bring awareness to what I’m doing, I’ll have to change. 

I remember learning about “soft addictions”.  These are things that you may be “addicted” to that don’t necessarily hurt you physically or cause harm to your family as drugs or alcohol may do but they steal your time, your attention, your mind.  They keep you from being aware.  They are an escape – a way of self medicating.  Some of these things may be (but are not limited to) over shopping, over eating, procrastinating, watching too much TV.  These things can keep us from living the life we were meant to live. 

So, here’s the challenge –let’s do this together.  I know I need it so maybe it could benefit all of us.  Put down the Diet Coke, the Starbucks, the water bottle…do NOT have food anywhere near you…put the cell phone away where you cannot hear the little “dings”…ARE YOU STARTING TO TWITCH?…Do not pick up any reading material…there should be no sounds (tv, radio, music) …now, when you are done reading this, turn off the computer…power down… No, actually turn it off…you can do it.  Now, for one minute, close your eyes, be still.  Just one minute.  You can do it.  It’s a start.  Ready?