Distractions

The evidence of distraction is showing in my journal these days. Many days i have written nothing at all. Other days my writing is incomplete. Evidence of distraction is showing in other places as well. Perhaps the most obvious to everyone are the baskets of laundry that dot the dining room like a small mountain range. The clothes are clean, they just need to be folded and put in their proper places. This is not what i anticipated when Jeremy and i decided that i would be a stay-at-home, homeschooling mama. Niether did i anticipate the long, drawn out process of home remodeling. There are other distractions too, but the remodel is probably the biggest at this time and it is the one that affects the whole family most of all. Right now there are parts of our house that look like a winter wonderland but it is not snow that covers our walls and floors. It is sheetrock dust. Not only is this dust white like snow, it accumalates like snow and covers anything that is not covered. In fact, i have found dust in places i thought were protected. Wherever there is dust there is sneezing and dry eyes. I don't know if this has caused the rawness in my throat but i am sure it has contributed. All this coughing and sneezing has provided another distraction. This has also tired me to the point that i am ready to get in bed after lunch most days. Even though i have been going to bed earlier at night getting up in the morning is proving to be a challenge. The bed is so warm, the air is so cool and i am so tired. The perpetual to-do list in my head reminds me that i have no time for loafing, that i need to get rolling. Once i am out of bed i do have my quiet time even if it is only 10 minutes and from there it is breakfast and a few minutes of Wii fit then a shower. School consumes the next few hours until lunch. After lunch is prepared, eaten and cleared away it is housework, laundry and errand running. The day goes so quickly and there is no slowing down. The kids are in bed at 9 and for an hour i try to unwind by reading or praying but then there are those distractions again. Endless thoughts of what happened today and what needs to be done tomorrow. Distractions! They come in so many forms and steal so much of my time. I know everyone has them. So may i ask, "How do you deal with distractions?".

First Question

"There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom, through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills." 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 The first question in the weekend challenge asks what we think our gifts,talents and skills are. How do we believe God has equipped us? In my attempt to answer this question honestly and confidently, i have been reading through 1 Corinthians. Chapter 12 deals with the different spiritual gifts and their diversities. Earlier this year i took an online quiz to help determine what my gifts were. The end results showed that i am an exhorter and a server. I was really pleased with those results and felt they were quite accurate. For the longest, i kept the printout in my Bible. Now i can't find it. When i do find it again i will post the link for anyone who might be interested in taking the quiz for themselves. Anyway, i do feel pretty confident of my gifts. However, when it comes to my talents i am having to think a little harder and dig a little deeper. As someone who loves to listen to and encourage others i feel i am a much better listener than i am a speaker. I communicate much better with pen and paper or through the keyboard as i am doing now. So i guess you could say writing is one of my talents. There are others i am sure but i am having to pray and keep my eyes and ears open as God reveals them to me. And now we come to skills...again, this is something i am praying about. Well, so far i do believe this challenge is proving to be an eye opener. It is causing me to consider things that i have neglected to think about due to busyness, distraction or fear. This is one challenge for which i am very thankful. Hope everyone else can say the same. Anyone who cares to join us, jump right in!

A Neat Idea for the Weekend

Well, it's Friday again. Time to look ahead to the weekend and consider what you want to do with the next two days. So what are your plans? As you ponder this question, could i interest you in a challenge? Now before you answer i'd like to ask you to check out the latest post at "Be Still". You will find the link in the column to your right. Michelle has a really good idea, don't you think? As soon as i read about it i felt i needed to share with as many others as possible and that is what i am doing now. I cannot wait to hear who accepts this challenge and to hear what the results will be for each of you. Thanks, Michelle, for sharing your idea with us!