Focus (noun): the center of interest or activity
One year. Tomorrow marks one year since the last day of school for the 2019-2020 year. One year since our world was turned upside down. One year of becoming all too familiar with words and phrases we could have never imagined would become part of our daily vocabulary; quarantine, social distancing, pandemic. One year of “new normals”. One year of our focus constantly changing and being challenged.
Today let’s take a moment to ponder our focus journey over the last year, but let’s not stay in the past for long. Remember when we were focused on scoring a pack of toilet paper or paper towels? Remember when the daily COVID-19 press conference seemed like our lifeline to the reality that was upon us? Remember the rollercoaster of emotions? Remember the mourning we experienced in so many different levels? All of those things have altered our focus over the last year.
Now that we have reflected, let’s “keep moving forward” as Walt Disney said. I pray that through this all your true focus was our Savior Jesus Christ. Through it all, He was the one unchanging part of our lives. However, if you have moved away from Him, let’s look ahead and re-focus. Proverbs 4:25-27 NIV says, “Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or to the left; keep your foot from evil.”
Today examine your focus. Where are you gazing? Which way are your feet going? Is your focus on God, God’s love and God’s will? Are you “living in the moment” and enjoying the gifts God has given you today? Or are you still focused on the hurts of the last year and allowing all that was lost to occupy all your focus and time?
For me, last night was filled with much hope. Last night renewed my focus. Last night I had the blessing of watching my son play baseball. Tomorrow will be one year since he had been able to play the game he loves so much with his high school teammates. Last night was filled with much hope. Although it was different, I was able to see many I haven’t seen in so long, I was able to sit in the school stadium watching baseball, and I was able to hug my parents without the worry of them getting sick. I know our “normals” will continue to be new, but may we all be able to stay focused on the blessings within each moment that God gifts us. May we all “look straight ahead and fix our gaze before us.”
P.S. Always have extra toilet paper for “just in case” emergencies. LOL