Refocus

Overheard: "I have been improving my vision, year after year, by doing an exercise where I pick different depths and practice changing my focus between the different depths. It's a good exercise for the eye muscle"

Isn't that the case for your life? As I look out at blue skies and sunlit fall colors I have to agree. Our overall vision is driven by what we focus on, near, far, and all points in between. Focus only on one part of the picture and your overall vision gets weaker. Exercise your focus to all areas in your life one by one and I think your overall life vision will surprise you with its ever increasing clarity.

Shalom!

Standing vs bending

Keeping a day of rest. 

Being in the world but not of the world. 

Being a pleaser of God rather than of man. 

Training a child in the way he should go.

As a Christian, these are a handful out of many convictions I have claimed as my own over the years. There are hundreds of excuses I could come up with for temporarily forgetting any one of these, and over time these excuses seem so innocent and reasonable. Although convictions certainly may be understood differently over time, I step back and wonder where they came from.  I find myself struggling more with foundations than ever even as I find myself in the role and with the duty of being a teacher, parent, or leader.  It helps that my husband help me hold to our shared convictions. 

When I start rationalizing and slipping in my faith, where shall I go for my guidance? Is my hope and confidence in myself, or in the Lord?  May I be continually humbled and used as an instrument, may the Lord turn my crumbling clay into a strong vessel.