Self direct...

Where are you?  What are you doing? Are you focused?

This morning I found myself cruising down the street facing oncoming traffic!  Admittedly, I was distracted. I was SO embarrassed.  I found myself holding up traffic while I made a u-turn to get myself going in the right direction.

To be very honest and transparent, this should NOT have happened but I was distracted by what I chose to focus on in addition to driving.  What I am learning is this, if you are supposed to be going somewhere, doing something, accomplishing something and committed to something, it is important to be fully present.  How much can we accomplish when our focus is all over the place? Being overwhelmed should not be an option, especially to those who know, without a shadow of doubt, that there are goals that need to be fulfilled and tasks to be completed.

How many more times will we say yes to something, that is going to take a precious thirty minutes away from our day, only to find ourselves stressing to meet our personal deadlines at the end of the day? Do we need sleep?  Do we need to retreat?  Do we need to sit and listen for God's voice more?  Do we need to be honest with people and tell them, your words, behaviors and actions are not helping my life?  Do we need to stop waiting for people to approve our next moves? Do we need to remain in lifeless relationships that continuously zap our strength and energy?  Do we need to keep trying to please the people who intentionally resurrect barriers because they want to be as they are or stay where they are?  Do we need to make time for what we need to make time for?

My distraction was one that I chose to allow to be a distraction because I didn't make time for it in my leisurely time (NO, I am not going to tell you what I was doing, smile).  This can not and will not happen again.

What say you?  Do you need to correct your actions and be more self direct and honest with yourself?  Are you wasting time?  Are you settling for less than God's best for your life?  Are you listening to everyone else and constantly conforming to the ways that please everyone else, but leave your desires, interest and ideas on the back burner and they are burning up.  Do you need God to redeem the time?  Are you able to admit your errors and correct them?  When things happen we need to stop and regroup.  We need to reach out to others who can pray for us.  We need to seek wise counsel.  We need to be real with ourselves and not stay in the place of distraction.  There is no productivity in this place.  There are risks and sadly they can be very detrimental to our lives.  If you know that you need to do better, just do it and stop making excuses.  That's what I am doing.

~Tanika