Proverbs 19:20 – Pay attention to advice and accept correction, so you can live sensibly.

Gratitude Day 851

Sometimes I get it and other times?

I miss it.

Yesterday, my to-do list was long. As in looooooooooooooooong. I was committed to take on as many of those things as possible, realizing that something was going to get left behind. In the meantime, I was trying to be efficient. Productive. Working down that list.

But here is what happens. I convince myself that if I multi-task, I can get more done.

I water the flowers while having a phone conversation.

I sort through papers while waiting for the printer.

I check email on my phone while something is taking five seconds to load on my laptop.

I write things down while listening to Hubby Rick because I don’t want to forget.

Sometimes, it feels efficient. Like I am productive.

Other times?

I forget where I laid something down because I was also solving some world problem while chatting on the phone.

I know that I had this particular item in my hand, but where did it go?

Where did I put that receipt, even though I’m fastidious about putting them all in the same file, labeled by months?

Truth?

Sometimes, I stop paying attention because my thoughts are running too many different directions; all at the same time.

Case in point – yesterday. Every Friday, I send out an email to the folks at the two churches where I am filling in right now. (Side bar – after 5 months, is it still filling in?) Anyways, the email went out later than I like because, well, I had to get some things pulled together before I sent the email. Like prepare for Sunday worship. I’ve been including some worship information in the email. But I needed to get this pulled together first.

I also wanted to include a ZOOM link. I had finally received the link. I did not want to forget to send it along.

I was so excited that I had all of this information pulled together, chatted about it in the email and hit “send.”

Within the hour, someone emailed me back.

“Didn’t get the ZOOM link. Can you send?”

Really? I just had to attach two things. Neither made it.

This is what happens when I don’t pay attention. I’m finishing up one thing and already moving on to the next BEFORE I’ve hit “send.” And something gets left out.

It just doesn’t happen with email.

Ever received a letter back in the mail because you didn’t put a stamp on it?

Guilty.

Come home from the grocery story with two bags of groceries but not what you went to the store for?

Yep.

Missed an appointment because something else felt more important in the moment?

My hand is raised.

We tell other people, “Maybe, you should pay attention more.” But we fail to listen, observe, or take note of something going on around us. And we forget to attach something to the email or totally leave out the link.

Truth? This happens more often than I care to admit, especially when I feel like my plate is a bit too full.

Somedays do feel like they are too much. I’m confident that you’ve had at least one or two of these this week as well. Maybe this is when we really need to pay attention because we know our brains are already running a million miles an hour.

When we need to stop and watch the sunset for even a few minutes.

Take a deep breath and smell the deep, rich coffee smell right away in the morning.

Be mindful of exactly where we sit something as we do it; not five minutes later when we don’t remember.

Somedays, the best I can do for myself and others is “okay.” This is totally acceptable. Being sensible with our expectations of ourselves and others is super important. When we pay attention, we see the little smile that someone offers us when we don’t expect it. We don’t miss the beautiful flower turned towards the sunshine. Our eyes and ears and noses become more attuned to those colors, sounds and smells that draw us back to something that resonates deep in our guts.

But when we aren’t paying attention? We miss all of this and so much more. And, we end up resending the email with the attachment and the ZOOM link, eating a bit of humble pie.

For the little reminder to slow down and pay attention, I am very grateful.

Blessings –

Dianne

Loving God – Thank you for loving me even when I don’t fully pay attention to You. Thanks for being patient when I rush through the day and focus on what I want rather than listening to You. Guide me today. Slow me down and may I see You. Amen.

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