Don't forget your glasses...

The daily grind often finds me strained and drained! The busiest days generally become the most frustrating simply because more circumstances arise, and more people are in need of more things. Sometimes, I breeze through those moments with a smile. Everyone’s needs are met, all tasks are accomplished with style and grace, and before I know it, the day is over and it is time to go home. I can reflect on the day and see success, contentment, and a job well done.

And then…there are those other days. The ones that are not so smooth, breezy and definitely not successful. Days when I need a muzzle over my mouth and a blood pressure cuff strapped to my arm. Counting to ten just isn’t enough…how high can I actually count on those days is the question! Yep, it’s those days. Those days are the ones where I forget to put on my glasses.

I don’t need glasses for everything, just certain tasks and to help me focus. That is where I run into the problem. Very often, I’ll push my glasses up on top of my head and never pull them down. Later, when I’ve squinted until my eyes are almost permanently molded into that position I think “DUH…” and reach up to pull down my glasses and BAM I can focus again. All is clear! Some days, when I am in a rush I forget them all together which is never a good sign for the day. Almost always, I find myself more scatter brained, more flustered, and making more mistakes when I don’t have my glasses for work. I just can’t focus and all is a disaster.

Most of you must already know where I am going with this…

When I get caught up in "life," when I take my eyes off of the Heavenly Father, when I fail to get my morning Bible Study in, when I don’t get to converse with Him in prayer, I lose focus. The more days I miss, the worse it gets. I become totally blind and lose my way. Everything becomes more frustrating or aggravating. People are demanding and not asking. I get lost in the negativity and the chaos that surrounds me, and I almost always say or do things that I later look back at, put my hand over my face, shake my head and say “Why?”...all because I didn’t put on my glasses.

Life is going to be busy. It is going to be frustrating. It is going to present circumstances and people that sometimes challenge us. We will go through difficult seasons and will strain to see any purpose or positivity. Take heart my dear friends, for in those moments we must remember not to lose our focus.

Instead, we must remember to “wear our glasses” every day. Go into every situation, every day, every encounter with the Lord guiding you. Start your day with Him. Carry Him with you throughout the day and lay down at night with Him when you go to sleep. Setting our sights and our total focus on Him doesn’t mean the road will be easy, BUT…it will guarantee the success and contentment we all long for on our journey. We won’t need a muzzle, a nurse checking our BP, or a ten-count to cool down. We will simply breathe through each moment and react or perform exactly as we should. God calms our hearts and our minds when we allow Him into our lives. When we stay focused and spend time with Him, He guides our thoughts and our ways even in the smallest situations.

My prayer for you today is that you remember to put on your glasses. Don't get caught up in and blinded by the madness, the mess or the mundane. Let your sights be set on Him. I pray that each day, you do not lose focus in those stressful, trying moments, but that you take each moment as a precious opportunity to be a light, to overcome, and to grow. My prayer is that each task you take on is performed with grace and humility and that you will have no need for regret or remorse when reviewing what that day brings. Start with God. Go with God. End with God. He’s a guaranteed 20/20.

May Your Cup Runneth Over.