Distractions

If you have been driving for long, there is likely a 100% chance that you have experienced a distraction that caused you to look away from the road and when you returned your gaze, you discovered that you were about to drop two wheels off the road (or already had). I recall a time when I was looking to the right to see the deer that had just run in front of me. While I was distracted with that, I totally missed seeing the one that was following her from the left, right into the path of my car. Fortunately, it only broke the cover of my headlight. But, frequently, distractions can cause much bigger problems than that.

Sunday, Pastor Chris shared a great message called Distractions, which you can listen to here: https://thecreekonline.net/media. In the message he talked about how our attention influences our direction (and not just when driving!) and our direction determines our destination. Think on that a moment. What grabs your attention in such a way that you are completely distracted and get off task? What distracts you to the point that you aren't even on course to land where you set out to be? What is it that causes you do drift off course?

Let me talk to you, parent to parent. Who or what needs more of your attention in order to get your kids on the right path? Not just the path to a scholarship or the path to make the team or a path to be a good friend or have good friends. What distraction in your life is keeping you from guiding them toward a Heavenly Father who made them with a purpose? What is taking so much of your time that you can't pray with them and for them and do devotions with them every single day? What distracts you from following up on the directions you have given them to make sure they are learning to do the task properly? What grabs your attention when they need it?

Let's face it... raising kids is a 24/7 kind of job. You have to stay diligent in order to train them properly and that is your job as a parent. This is not a guilt trip. Nobody has or should spend 24 hours a day focused on their kids or hovering over them. But, they need to be your priority. You have a job. You are exhausted. You have a meal to prepare. You need to taxi children all sorts of places. There are so many things that can distract us from keeping the main thing the main thing. Drifting away is natural and happens without you even noticing it. You have to be anchored in order to keep that from happening.

This week, have a listen to the sermon above and consider what is distracting you; what you are paying too much attention to. Consider the outcomes you want for your kids; the behaviors that are important; the character traits that are non-negotiable. Note the time that you are spending looking at something other than them when they are home. Think about where your focus is. Think about how that will play out years from now. Imagine the behaviors that they struggle with now and project that into their lives as teens or adults. What can you do to insure that your child knows that is a behavior that must not ride into the future with them? All of this takes SO. MUCH. TIME. It will take SO. MUCH. ENERGY. You simply can't afford to be distracted with things that are not taking you to the destination God has laid out for you and for them.

Keep your eyes on the prize and don't let distractions cause you to drift from the purpose for which you were created. Help your kids become the best version of their future self by keeping your focus on who they were created to be...followers of Jesus. Your future self will thank you some day.