Friday, September 18, 2009

Pay Attention Already!


"He said to them, 'Pay attention to what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more shall be given you.'" ~ Mark 4:24. I read that verse in the DAILY WORD today. It spoke to me about giving more attention to whatever I am doing. If I stay focused on this very moment, I am much more in tune with everything, and it is so much more enjoyable than if I absentmindedly go about my activities.

Today I was teaching at a junior high, and the kids and I were reading a novel full of action. I was caught up in the plot and so excited that I almost went over the allotted time. The students didn't want to stop reading and listening either because the climax of the novel was forthcoming with all the suspense and excitement that any good novel contains. We were caught up in the moment, giving it our full attention.

That's the way our life can be too. It is exciting and enjoyable if we give it our full attention. The more we practice this, the easier it will become.

We need to be selective, though, about what receives our attention. We can zero in on the ideas and feelings that give our life inspiration, and selectively filter out the things that give us a negative perception of the world.

The Holy Spirit guides us to what would serve us well if we are willing to listen and let Him sculpt our lives into something beautiful. Each precious moment of this life can impact us in a powerful, positive way if we let it dance around in our consciousness and let Him give us a loving, joyous rendition of the spirituality He offers so freely.

2 comments:

Mutterguse said...

Pat, you really nailed it with this one. It is so important to stay with the program at times, isn't it? I used to hear "All in Good Time, ALL in GOOD TIME..." when I was growing up. I always wanted to rush the moments, and as I have grown some, I realized that in my hurry to get going, I may have missed something important. Many times I have skipped a memory making moment that could have been wonderful, either from rushing or from absentmindedness.
Thank you for this reminder to check in at the moment, and stay tuned!

Patty said...

Thanks, Rozan. It's a good reminder for me too. Margot Foteyn, a dancer, said, "If I have learnt anything, it is that life forms no logical patterns. It is haphazard and full of beauties which I try to catch as they fly by, for who knows whether any of them will ever return?"