I have decided the brilliance of geniuses comes from their ability to focus. As for me, I tend to be more focused in the smaller picture of life and blurry in the large, just like my photos. In thumbprint size, I impress myself with my photo taking skill. Then, I expand my view and realize I wasn't in focus as much as I desired.
The picture came from the wedding of my nephew and his wife. I planned to share all my great pictures with them until I started seeing the same shots in larger formats.
Thankfully, they weren't relying on their guests for great photos! My siblings and I laugh about our "squirrel" moments -- moments like the dog in the movie Up who trots about happily on his way, doing what he is supposed to be doing, until he sees a squirrel. Suddenly, he is focused, but all that he has been doing is forgotten in his "squirrel" moment.
In my former job as a teacher and in my job now as a curriculum advisor, the ability to switch one's focus is a benefit. As a teacher, if one does not have the eyes of a dragonfly, able to focus on hundreds of things (or, in this case, children) at one time, life in the classroom will fall into chaos. However, in other endeavors and other seasons of life, focus becomes crucial. Take the picture of the squirrel up above. The window in the background is out of focus, but the window is not where my focus was. Looking at the picture, I can see that while I wanted to focus on the squirrel, it appears the plant is the focal point!
Sigh. I do that in life and writing, too. I think I'm focusing on one element when really I end up focusing on another. This week at work during a Parent Coffee, our speaker taught us about the power of our words. Often we focus on keeping our children safe by saying, "Don't" but what our words do is focus their attention on that which we don't want them to do! Instead of "Don't run out into the street," our brains will go in the direction of safety if we say, "Let's stay on the sidewalk."
The word "but" negates everything before it. "I love you, but..." How much better to replace "but" with "and".
This one will get you: "TRY". What? It turns out Yoda is right when it comes to our brains. Try implies failure or is an excuse to get out of something. Try opens up a doorway to doubt. The substitute for "try" might be a saying I heard from Dallas Willard: "Take the next right step you know how to take" or "Let's practice doing this." There are three more words: "just" (gives away your power); "okay?" (sign of negotiation, open for interpretation); "should" (great for guilt trips). Check out the book below.
I will suggest one more phrase, a greeting, where the focus we want is totally lost in the enforcement of either saying it or not saying it: "Merry Christmas." Truly, both sides lose the feelings of love they mean to convey (or, I hope they mean to convey) by either forcing people to accept the saying or to force people to not greet others with it. The focus of both my words and life, in being and in action, matter.
And, for those squirrel moments? I liked how SacredSpace, Pray as You Go, for the Advent season started the day: Sit still for a moment and take some deep breaths. Take in Love and breathe out Thanks. It's a wonderful way to start each day instead of starting out frazzled. It's a wonderful way to end the day instead of focusing on the worries.
God will keep you in fulfilling peace when your mind is focused on God's Divine Presence. I have found God keeps me in love, joy, beauty, truth, kindness, and a whole lot of other goodnesses when my mind, body, soul, and spirit is indwelt by our Triune God's presence.
Greetings of love to you this day and this season. May our focus bless, and not cause harm.
The picture came from the wedding of my nephew and his wife. I planned to share all my great pictures with them until I started seeing the same shots in larger formats.
Thankfully, they weren't relying on their guests for great photos! My siblings and I laugh about our "squirrel" moments -- moments like the dog in the movie Up who trots about happily on his way, doing what he is supposed to be doing, until he sees a squirrel. Suddenly, he is focused, but all that he has been doing is forgotten in his "squirrel" moment.
In my former job as a teacher and in my job now as a curriculum advisor, the ability to switch one's focus is a benefit. As a teacher, if one does not have the eyes of a dragonfly, able to focus on hundreds of things (or, in this case, children) at one time, life in the classroom will fall into chaos. However, in other endeavors and other seasons of life, focus becomes crucial. Take the picture of the squirrel up above. The window in the background is out of focus, but the window is not where my focus was. Looking at the picture, I can see that while I wanted to focus on the squirrel, it appears the plant is the focal point!
Sigh. I do that in life and writing, too. I think I'm focusing on one element when really I end up focusing on another. This week at work during a Parent Coffee, our speaker taught us about the power of our words. Often we focus on keeping our children safe by saying, "Don't" but what our words do is focus their attention on that which we don't want them to do! Instead of "Don't run out into the street," our brains will go in the direction of safety if we say, "Let's stay on the sidewalk."
The word "but" negates everything before it. "I love you, but..." How much better to replace "but" with "and".
This one will get you: "TRY". What? It turns out Yoda is right when it comes to our brains. Try implies failure or is an excuse to get out of something. Try opens up a doorway to doubt. The substitute for "try" might be a saying I heard from Dallas Willard: "Take the next right step you know how to take" or "Let's practice doing this." There are three more words: "just" (gives away your power); "okay?" (sign of negotiation, open for interpretation); "should" (great for guilt trips). Check out the book below.
I will suggest one more phrase, a greeting, where the focus we want is totally lost in the enforcement of either saying it or not saying it: "Merry Christmas." Truly, both sides lose the feelings of love they mean to convey (or, I hope they mean to convey) by either forcing people to accept the saying or to force people to not greet others with it. The focus of both my words and life, in being and in action, matter.
And, for those squirrel moments? I liked how SacredSpace, Pray as You Go, for the Advent season started the day: Sit still for a moment and take some deep breaths. Take in Love and breathe out Thanks. It's a wonderful way to start each day instead of starting out frazzled. It's a wonderful way to end the day instead of focusing on the worries.
God will keep you in fulfilling peace when your mind is focused on God's Divine Presence. I have found God keeps me in love, joy, beauty, truth, kindness, and a whole lot of other goodnesses when my mind, body, soul, and spirit is indwelt by our Triune God's presence.
Greetings of love to you this day and this season. May our focus bless, and not cause harm.
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